


Lies and Milk Tea

by bugiiwonderland



Series: One large Okinawa, less sugar with pearls, pudding and angst please. [1]
Category: NU'EST
Genre: And lots of cameos lol, Fluff and Angst, Humor, M/M, Someone’s sick. I’m sorry. I love you.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-08-24 20:47:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 47,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16647500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bugiiwonderland/pseuds/bugiiwonderland
Summary: “Lies and secrets, Tessa, they are like a cancer in the soul. They eat away what is good and leave only destruction behind.”― Cassandra Clare | Clockwork Prince





	1. The Night is still young

**Author's Note:**

> Hi~ I'm back on Lies and Milk tea and for those who read this before, yes it’s the same and this is the edited version or should I say B-side? XD
> 
> The good news is, the story has more explanations on what's happening (and about the title too lol) and I really know where this is going now (for REALZ) XD
> 
> I just want to say Thank you to the people who supported the old ver of this, and even made me cry from all the comments :( without you guys I wouldn't be able to go back and write this again :( and I'm sorry for deleting the old one and starting again :( 
> 
> Again, thank you everyone~ <33333  
> now grab your Milk teas,  
> Because this will be a roller-coaster ride. :p

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonghyun just wants to stay in bed all day with his mangas and binge-watch animes that he had missed because of midterms but his best friend Minki has better plans for him when he told him to get dress because they’re gonna have some Milk Tea.

 

**_“Can't you see the night's still early?_ **

**_We’re gonna get wild and crazy.”_ **

**-Nicki Minaj | _The Night is Still Young_**

 

“...I swear I’m not gonna trust this **_demon_** again.”

He really regrets not trusting his instincts when his demon of a best friend, Choi Minki told him to get ready because they’re going out for some “ _milk tea_ ”.

To be honest, he should’ve have known all along, the signs are all there, the ~~Dem~~ Minki asking him to dress nice and wear his contacts instead of his “nerdy” (as his so called best friend calls it) glasses, 2 hours ago at their shared apartment.

 _Chill and milk tea_ huh? I guess the _club_ is the _new definition_ of that. How the hell did his ~~angel~~ demon of a best friend even thought of bringing him here?! It’s not like he enjoys drinking or dancing and even a club for _Pete’s sake_! He’d rather stay in their apartment and read his freshly bought mangas, catch up to all the episodes of anime that he had missed due to midterms and not this… this soon to be ‘ _pheromone-in-the-air-atmosphere_ ’ club.

He sighs loudly again and leans back—choosing to look at the different colored lights that’s dancing on the ceiling instead of looking at his best friend who’s bopping his head to the music—not even bothered of his loud groans, sighs and glaring.

His head gets bumped a bit too hard by a drunk stranger and he just wants to cry. He really doesn’t deserve any of the shit that the _Demon_ dragged him into.

“ _My mangas_ … _my bed_ …” He whines almost crying as he slams his head on the table over and over again.

“Yah, lighten the fuck up will you? It’s not like I’ve taken you to hell.” Minki tells him having grown tired of his whining.

“Well this isn’t _heaven_ either.” He says looking sideways at the dance floor that’s full of _pheromone-drunk-bodies_

“Technically, this is _Heaven_. So just chill and enjoy, give yourself a break from all that studying.”

“I was planning to do so before you said ‘we _chill and have milk tea’._ ”

“And I guess your so called “ **plan** ” was to read your _mango_ and _anime?_ ” Minki says with scoff

“It’s called _MANGA_ you dimwit!” He yells at the stupid Demon who just rolls his eyes at him as he looks around at the club.

“Yeah sure. Oh he’s here! _Hey!!_ ” Minki waves to a guy at the bar who’s _squinting so hard_ trying to check if he knows the weird demon waving at him. Guess he recognized the Demon, seeing how the said guy is walking towards their table with a smile that’s full of adoration (?) for his demon friend, like Minki somehow _saved his life_ … He scoffs and shakes his head.

_Good luck man, you’re in for a rollercoaster ride._

“Hey Ren! You’re here! I thought you’re not coming since I can’t find you earlier!” Said the unknown man to Min- _wait what?_ Who the heck is _Ren_? What the hell? He eyes his best friend the same time he receives a _deadly_ glare from him to keep his mouth shut.

“Hi Aron! Of course I’m here! I can’t miss the opening night, right?” Minki beams at Unkno- _Aro?_ Arod? What’s his name again? He looks at his best friend and realizes that Minki is smiling _way too much_ in fact that smile is—ugh… that fucking _angelic_ yet _devilish_ smile.  This would be a hella long night. He groans.

I really should have just stayed at home… I should have trusted _Jang-Gun nim_ when he suddenly fell off from his place when Minki asked me to go out.

 _Jang-Gun nim… I’m sorry_ … _this hyung… is so naïve… I should have seen you warning me… about this… about not going… I’m sorry Jang-Gun nim… I failed you…_

“JR??” ~~Mi~~ _Ren_ nudges him a bit _too strong_

“Oh?”

“As I was saying, Aron, this is _my best friend,_ JR.” _WAIT. WHAT? Now I’m **JR**?!_ He glares at his demon best friend with a _what-the-hell_ and gets a _SHUT-UP-AND-JUST-GO-WITH-IT_ glare.

“Hi… Aro...n? Yes I’m J…R, yes that’s me hehe...” Minki gives him a deadly stare that means to get his shit together or else he won’t see his _Squirtle plushies_ intact anymore.

“Hi JR! Ren told me a lot about you!” Aron smiles at him warmly like he’s known him for a long time as he shakes his hand. Making him feel flustered and confused.

_What’s with that smile? And what did the demon say to him? Did he set him up with someone again?! Or did his friend told him how he keeps company with his mangas and figurines? I swear I’m gonna ruin his Lady Gaga poster once we get home._

“Aron! There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you!” Their attention was stolen by a guy who has a built that reminds him of _Thor._

“Baek? What’s up?” Aron asks the _Thor-guy_ , patting him on the back. He sees the ~~demon~~ Minki trying his best to control his expression of the sudden interruption and skinship that’s going on between the two _._

He studies his best friend and _oh_ —the _cold-hearted demon_ is charmed by Arod? This is amusing, I should’ve brought some tea he thinks as he sips on his beer unknowingly.

“—been looking all over you man, I already lost the spoiled as—I mean Minhyun and he’s probably—” he hears Thor say a bit worriedly to Arod who just shrugs at the other.

“Relax, the worst thing that could happen is if someone _gave him alcohol_ without him knowing, and I already told the staff about it, unless the stupid him actually drank one unknowingly, which will be so stupid—”

“...Actually Aron, I…I have somethi—” Thor interjects looking really worried at something

The demon then clears his throat, interrupting the two, he can see Minki’s putting on his _‘intimidating’_ mask and damn—this escalated way too quickly that he can’t help but take another sip of tea (read: beer).

He knows this side of Minki pretty well—and watching him being territorial on Arod when he didn’t even heard anything about him from his best friend is something new and _definitely tea material_ … He sips on his tea again.

_This is getting interesting—maybe a bit more than this week’s episode of Boruto._

“Oh, Sorry for that babe, Baek let me introduce—” _Babe? Did Arod just call the demon ‘babe’? Oh—this is definitely more interesting than Boruto._

He looks at his best friend and he knows that the other is _liking_ the fact that Arod called him _‘babe’_ in front of Thor.

“Ren, I’m _Ren._ ” Minki announces, snaking his arm on Aron while he offers the other hand to Thor. He laughs sarcastically, enjoying this whole drama unfold in front of him—better than _Boruto_ and those dramas that Minki watches and cries over. He sips on his tea again.

“Hi Ren, I’m Baekho! Pleasure to finally meet you! Aron hyung won’t stop telling us about you and how you’re so adorable and like an _angel._ ” Like an _Angel?_ Does Arod—wait Aron—even know what an _Angel_ is? Or did he get it all wrong and mixed-up? Because his best friend, even from the first time that he met him is far from an _Angel_ , and that’s coming from the 5 year-old him.

“Shut up Baek.” Aron says but he can see a smile and the symptoms of being whipped all over his face. He shakes his head— _poor guy… you’re on your way to self-destruction at this point._

“ _Oh my!_ Really?” Minki beams at Aron and Th-... _Baeko? BaekHoe?_ What’s his name again?

“Yeah! You don’t have any idea how much he gushes and spazzes over you that it feels like we’ve known you all along!” Baek? Baeko? Baekhoe? says—he’ll just stick with Thor. It suits him anyway.

“Okay _enough_. Baek, this is JR by the way, since Ren seem to forget to introduce him.” Aron smiles _warmly_ at him again and now he understands why the demon is possessive and charmed by him—the way he smiles gives off this _homey-warm vibe_ and he can see that the guy is _decent_ and gives of this _reliable and trustworthy aura_ —that even though he only met him for what? He doesn’t remember, but point is—there’s something about Aron, that will really _charm_ you and the fact that he looks out for him better than his demon best friend. Minki got lucky for scoring a guy like him. He takes another sip of his tea.

“Oops my bad! This is JR my best friend, he’s kinda quiet but I swear he doesn’t bite, are you single?” The demon’s nonsense and too blunt question makes him choke on his tea that he ends up coughing endlessly—earning a worried look from Thor and Aron patting him on the back—the Demon doesn’t even care and just smiles that fucking annoying and devilish smile of his. He glares at his best friend while the other only snickers at him.

“Uh… it’s kinda—but I guess no, sorry… but it’s nice to meet you JR ssi?” Thor offers his hand with a shy smile, scratching the back of his head because of ~~Min~~ demon’s _too subtle_ question.

He clears his throat and shakes the other’s hand—his hand has a strong grip though? Not overwhelmingly strong but—okay, this isn’t time to think about this Jonghyun, get a grip. He smiles at Thor. “Same man, but please don’t mind him, he’s crazy like that.” He says with a shrug to shake off the awkward atmosphere. Thor nods and smiles at him warmly too.

_Seriously, what’s with these guys’ warm smiles? Do they always smile like that to everybody? Poor civilians, a lot probably fell in love with them if they always smile like that._

He hears a weird laugh coming from Thor and he can’t but snort—in a good way—it’s kinda loud and cute that he can’t help but smile wider as he listens more to it.

“It’s okay, but since I’m not exactly single, I know someone who is, if that’s okay?” Thor asks him. He hears a clap on his side and someone gushing, and of course it’s none other than the _demon_ who’s beaming at Thor a bit too much which is borderline _overwhelming._

“That’s amazing! Who? Where?” Minki gushes too excitedly.

“Please don’t mind him.” He says with a smile as he glares at his best friend “Mi—I mean, _Ren_ here is just kidding. Right _Ren_ -ssi?” he says more like warning for the other to stop.

His best friend shakes his head. “I’m not kidding, where’s the guy?” He pinches his best friend in the arm making him yelp and glare at him in return.

“Okay, I think that’s enough of putting JR on the spot, just let him have a good time tonight babe, okay?” Aron says patting him on the shoulder—okay Minki really lucked out and won this time. Where the hell did he find himself an amazing man like this? He mumbles a thank you to Aron, and the other shakes his head, mouthing him a _‘no problemo’_ and smiles at him—warmly again.

Okay now he really _definitely_ likes this Aron guy, to the point that he’ll even welcome Aron to their shared apartment with open arms and a bear hug and share his _mangas with him_ if he wants to, and maybe let him touch his _figurines_ and his _Squirtle plushies_ …if Aron actually likes mangas and animes or even likes games that would be it!!! He imagines how he and Aron would play until dawn, or their talks over a new episode of an anime that they just watched or how the story is different from the manga... or where to get cheaper figures... or whichever he prefers like is he a _dc_ or a _marvel_ kind of a guy?

_I should’ve probably start convincing Minki to marry him, he can’t find anyone else better other than Aron to be his suitable brother-in-law anyway especially with Minki’s craziness._

 

 **“YEOBOSEYOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Earth to Jonghyun!! Earth to Kim _Fucking_ Jonghyun!!! HELLLOOOOOOOOO!!!!” **Minki yells and shakes him. _The fuck?!_

“Ya! Get a grip! We’re going to the dance floor, so if you would please stop _night-dreaming_ then let’s start _dancing_ please? Aron’s already waiting for us.” He sees Aron who’s smiling again at him patiently waiting at the edge of the dance floor “And though I like my man waiting for me, I’d rather not keep him waiting right now especially on the dance floor looking as _hot_ as—” He pulls his best friend closer to him

“Minki, if you _like_ your man then why don’t you use your real name instead? And stop trying to set me up with someone—especially in a club! And why the hell am I JR even? And it’s _‘day-dreaming_ ’ not ‘ _night-dreaming_ ’ dimwit!” He snarls at the other in a low voice—so that Aron couldn’t hear and learn that this _demon_ ’s been lying to him.

“Whatever _Turtle_.” Minki rolls his eyes at him—like he even has the right to do that and he didn’t do anything wrong by lying at Aron. “You’re _JR_ because I’m trying to keep things private for you, just in case you’ll go _wild_ tonight and they found out who you are or worse someone that knows us will find out about _this_ , which we both know will cause a lot of headache, explaining and nagging which by the way we both don’t want to happen again. So just thank me for being such a smart best friend. And I fucking don’t give a damn whatever it is called! Let’s just go there and start dancing!” His best friend says pulling him up—making him a little dizzy.

“Minki… not to be the _party-pooper_ here… but I—”

“—then don’t and start enjoying, _the night is still young and so are We._ ” Minki says winking at him.

“Did you just quote A Nicki Minaj song?”

“Hell yeah, coz why not? _Tonight is the night that we’ll get twisted~_ ” Minki tells him, waving his fingers at him as he walks backwards towards the now chuckling Aron.

He looks at the two who are now  smiling at each other and walking their way in the dance floor—he can leave the club right now since Minki left him there alone and unsupervised, the _demon_  wouldn’t even notice it until he’s back and that will be like, 30 minutes from now and he can always just ignore Minki’s nagging/tantrums when he comes home—but the loyal best friend in him tells him to stay and that leaving without Minki isn’t really a good idea especially the tantrums the demon would throw at him so he decides to just sit and _sip on his tea_ watch the two dance between and got sucked in the ‘ _pheromone-drunk-atmosphere’._

He takes his time and looks up at the dancing lights on the ceiling when Nicki Minaj’s _The night is still young_ starts playing. He hears Minki yell a very loud “ **JR** ” which he didn’t even know how the guy manage to do but well that’s Choi Minki with his _Demon powers_.

He sighs and stands before Minki comes back and pulls him out of their table—which he’d rather not have, knowing how stubborn his best friend is. And maybe the demon’s right? he really should just _enjoy the night—_ after all those sleepless nights that he had to go through because of his premed tests and reports that made him suffer for the last couple of weeks—because to be honest what would he lose?

Well, aside from some hair, that Minki would be pulling any minute if he’s still at their table.

 _He’s young_ , he can be _reckless_ for tonight and just enjoy it, right?

He finishes remains of his tea (read: beer), and starts walking to the dance floor. He can feel himself suddenly being excited and it’s kinda weird? But good weird? Like he’s in a bliss and drank _Liquid Luck_? And to add to that, a bunch of butterflies kept fluttering their wings in his stomach? He shakes his head—it must be the tea. _I guess, I should ask them what tea they were serving_.

He stops as he hears a voice in his head telling him not to do anything and he laughs darkly—he knows that voice very well.

 _Not tonight._ He tells the other. _Tonight he’ll be someone else_ aside from the boring Kim Jonghyun who does what everyone expects him to do.

He reaches the edge of the dance floor and looks back at the table, he sees the other _Kim Jonghyun_ that’s sitting there trying to stop him with pleading eyes that what he’s about to do is a _bad idea_ , he smirks at the other.

 _Not tonight Jonghyun-ah_.

_Not Tonight._

 


	2. Time is Running Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Losing someone special isn’t easy...  
> Especially if that someone was with you through up and downs...  
> Memories of you together and even with your loved ones will keep playing in your mind...  
> What ifs' would haunt you.  
> so how does Hwang Minhyun deal with it?  
> Easy. A sip. (Or more)

 

_“ **I think I'm drowning, asphyxiated**_ **_,_ ** **_I want to break the spell that you've created._ **

**_You're something beautiful, a contradiction_ ** **_._ ** **_I want to play the game, I want the friction.”_ **

**-Muse | _Time is Running Out_**

 

“What the _hell_ are you doing?!”

“Sshh…I’m recording an ASMR right now.” He whispers. Hopefully that won’t be recorded because he hates to do it all over again—especially when he finally recorded a _perfect version_ after all the hardships and mess that he had to deal (and the time he wasted) with just setting up Dongho’s equipment.

_“A WHAT?_ ” Okay—that definitely ruined his beautiful recording. He sighs and glares at the other.

“An _ASMR_ Dongho, as in _Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response_ , or do I have to spell it out for you?” he says irritated as hell because the dumb _princess_ ruined his masterpiece. He sighs. He’s getting tired and he knows the other is too, now that they have to start from scratch all over again.

“I know what an ASMR is bighead—my question is what the hell are _YOU_ doing in _MY STUDIO_ recording a VACUUM?!”

“Did you just call my _Bugi_ a _VACUUM?!_ ” He fumes at his _now_ ex-brother from a different mother. How dare he call Bugi _a vacuum_?! Bugi isn’t just a mere _vacuum! Bugi_ is _different_ , he was there when he was lonely, and he was there when they messed up, and fuck — Bugi is always here for them through ups and downs cleaning over their shit! He was even there for Dongho when he cried so hard because of his failed relationship! So how dare this guy call _his Bugi_ a mere vacuum when they did so much for them?!

“Okay Minhyun-ah, I’m very sorry for hurting your vac-I mean Bugi’s feelings… now please, leave my studio.”

“But I’m not done yet.”

“Can’t you just do that in your room instead?”

“Well my room isn’t sound-proof and I don’t have these equipment’s, and I can’t just use my phone because it can’t record Bugi’s beautiful humming and yours is just—”

“Okay Just use it, but _PLEASE_ —I beg you really, don’t touch the things you don’t know and ask me first if you want to use it okay?”

“YES! Thank you my very handsome sexy brother! I love you! Now please leave! Bugi’s getting tired and I want to finish this before—”

The _princess_ slams the door before he even gets to finish his sentence. What a _rude bastard_. Well at least he gets to continue their recording. He looks down at _Bugi_ and smiles. _Right my precious baby?_ He kisses Bugi on its face and gets a nudge in return.

_“BOYS!!!! PAPA’S HOME!!!!!”_ He gets surprised by their hyung’s sudden announcement and loses his grip on _Bugi_ and just like in the movies, he sees everything turn into slow motion. He can feel his fox-like eyes turn big as he watch his baby fall into the floor slowly.

_“ANDWAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!”_ he screams.

He tries his best to catch _Bugi_ , who’s already inches away from the floor, but of course he was already too late. He hears a loud plop and just stares at his baby.

Bugi…his baby…not even moving…not even one light… crashed on the floor leaving the room almost silent except from his ragged breathing…

_Fuck fuck no… this can’t be real, right? No, this isn’t real… This… this must’ve been a dream… a nightmare…this isn’t real…this isn’t… this isn’t real._

He kneels on floor gently taking hold of his precious baby who remains motionless as the door of the mini studio swing open revealing his hyung who looks so worried.

“Min, you okay? What happened?” Aron hyung asks him.

He can only answer his hyung with his sad eyes as his lifeless baby remain unmoving in his arms…

“I swear Minhyun if you broke one of my mics, I’m gonna— _what the hell?_ ” Dongho looks at him and Aron hyung with a _what-the-hell-is-going-on-here_

“ _Shut it Dongho._ Minhyun-ah, tell us what happened, are you hurt?” Aron hyung asks sitting next to him.

“ _Hyung…._ ”

“It’s okay Minhyun-ah… tell us... What happened? Are you hurt??” his hyung pats his back gently and wipes his tears. He didn’t even notice that he was crying.

“Hyung...”

“Just fucking tell us Minhyun, what the hell is wrong? Why are you crying?!” Dongho impatiently asks

“You can tell us Minhyun, it’s okay tell us…” his hyung patiently tells him before giving Dongho a glare to keep his mouth shut.

“Hyung… its Bugi… _He’s gone_ …”

“It’s a _HE_?!” Dongho asks shocked by the fact that Bugi is a He. _Was_ a he…

“Dongho.” The oldest warns his insensitive brother while the other just shrugs it.

“Min… We’re very sorry for…”

“Bugi.”

“Yes… yes, Bugi… but maybe we can still fix it—I mean, him? Right?”

“I don’t know hyung… he’s not responding to me anymore…I don’t know if we can still save him…maybe…we’re too late…”

“Man, just bring him to the technician.” Aron hyung glares at the insensitive princess “—or the doctor or something…” the other says with a shrug.

“Will a surgery save him hyung?”

“Oh fuck are we really gonna do this?!”

“Yes Min, A tech—I mean surgeon can save your….?”

“Bugi.”

“Yes Bugi… I’m texting hyung right now if he can send…uh…someone who could save that—I mean Bugi.” The elder says patting him on the back.

“Thanks Hyung… thanks for doing this for me… for us…”

“Oh God. You’re hopeless.” The insensitive asshat of a princess says with a scoff.

“You’re welcome Min, don’t worry about it.”

“…So since the drama is over can we please leave my studio? Before anything else gets broken?”

Aron hyung smiles at him and helps him to stand up while the other checks his equipments to see if he broke anything else. How insensitive of that _asshat princess_ —well to be honest what does he even expect from a guy that can’t even take care of his fishes, right? Still it hurts him how insensitive his brother is with _Bugi’s condition_ … no wonder his relationship is like that, the guy probably doesn’t even know how to comfort someone with a personality like his.

Well that’s why he’s called Baekho anyway, he doesn’t think, he just says what’s on his mind. The guy’s stupidly too blunt or doesn’t just know how to filter his thoughts or even to think or ponder before saying something, just like a tiger, who goes after his prey, fluid, fast, and strong—and his case insensitive and dumb.

 

“—hyun-ah? Are you listening?” His hyung pats him gently “I guess he’s still too shocked on what happened… poor Min… our poor baby fox…” his hyung sighs stroking his back.

He hears the other laugh too loud—clearly amused. “Let’s just leave him here hyung, I don’t want to babysit tonight.” Yeoksi, this stupid insensitive guy.

“No, we can’t just leave him here especially in this state…” his hyung whispers to Baekho AKA stupid guy

“You take care of him then!” stupid guy annoyingly answers again.

…And the first half of today’s episode of BaekRon’s bickering starts

Are they even trying to be stealth on how they talk about him like he can’t hear them at all? At this point his ears will go deaf again by all this yelling.I it’s not like the two are even far from each other, they’re all sitting next to each other in their living room.

“Dongho-yah, it’s our opening night, I have to check on things and the least you could do is watch over him.”

“Like you don’t have someone to do that for you?!You’re just gonna be with your ‘Mr. Fluffy Rabbit’ the whole night anyway!!”

“Shut up!!!”

“I can’t wait to meet Mr. Fluffy Rabbit so that I could tell him how much you go gaga over him with just text.”

_Minhyun-ah, it’s just white noises, everything is just white noises, everything that you’re hearing right now is white noises…_ he keeps on repeating it like a mantra to tune out his annoying brothers. I _wish there’s a switch where you can just mute and unmute people… especially if it’s these two…_

“-Don’t you fucking dare!”

“Try me dwarf.”

“You Thanos-look-alike!!”

“Excuse me? I look like what?!”

And the second half of today’s episode of BaekRon’s bickering still fucking continues. He sighs again. He just wants some alone time, especially with what happened with Bugi. What’s taking the surgeon so long anyway? It’s been an hour already! How can a surgeon be this late when a patient needs saving?! I should have ask Aron hyung the surgeon’s name and from what hospital he is from… if he does more damage to Bugi… I swear I’m gonna hunt him down… I’ll even ask Sujin to accompany me to wreck more havoc since no one can ever escape my noona’s wrath...

He hears their doorbell ring stopping him from his plans.

“That must be the tech—I mean Surgeon Min, get your Bug.” Aron hyung stands and walks to the door to let the surgeon in.

“Fucking finally.”

“He’s been silent for the whole hour and the first thing that comes from his mouth is that? Damn.” Stupid guy says with a smirk looking at him

“Shut up, just help the guy get his thing-a-mob, so we could get ready.”

 “His name is Bugi, hyung.” He corrects the eldest.

“Yes yes Minhyunie, now Dongho, would you please use your muscles and help our brother?” Their hyung says glaring at Dongho to start moving because he’s getting tired of this too.

“Sure, now let’s try to stand up your Highness.” Dongho stands and helps him up with a bit too much strength

“Yah, that hurts.” He whines

“Well stand the fucking up, it’s not like you’re made of jelly.” He glares at Dongho and the other just rolls his eyes at him.

“He’s gonna be okay right? I mean he’ll be oka-” he asks worriedly

“Don’t worry Min, he’ll be fine, hyung wouldn’t let just anyone touch your…”

“Bugi.”

“Yeah. Bugi, anyway cheer up man, I’m sure he’ll be back here in a few days” Dongho pats him in the back and smiles comfortingly at him. Weird he thinks.

Dongho opens the door for him—where the painful event all took place… He sees his _Bugi_ , who’s lying lifeless on the floor, same as how he left him… it’s all his fault… if he didn’t held Bugi in front of his face… or if he held Bugi with a better grip… then this wouldn’t have happened…he cries again, holding his precious Bugi in his arms…

“Uhmm Minhyun? I hate to break this emotional moment of yours...but the tech-surgeon is here to get your beloved Bugi.” Dongho says with a concerned look at his face

…Dongho’s concerned? For his ‘beloved’ Bugi? Wow… he can’t believe the guy finally feels something other than being an ass… See my love? Even Dongho’s concerned for you now… so you have to get better okay? The surgeon will do his everything to save you so please hang in there okay?

“Minhyun? Jesus, please just take the vacuum sir, or we’ll be here the whole day.” Dongho apologetically tells the technician

“Uhm…Sir Hwang? Can I take the thing now?” The Surgeon says with a very concerned look

“His name is Bugi, and please handle him with care and make sure to save him, I don’t care on how you’re gonna do that but I won’t accept anything else aside from a successful operation, do you understand me doctor?!” He glares at the Surgeon strongly like how his sister taught him to do when he wants something to be done perfectly.

“Uh yes of course Sir Hwang, I’ll do my best and make sure the…operation? Is...Successful?”

“You better do, or I’ll haunt you.”

“Tea time’s over! Let’s go sir, time to go the hospital and fix this bug! Go! Go!” Dongho ushers the surgeon out of the studio with his Bugi and he can’t bring himself to stand…

Bugi’s gonna be okay right? His precious Bugi will be safe and fine after the surgery right? He’ll make it through right? Oh God… if anything happens to him…I don’t know how I’ll—

“Knock knock?” Aron Hyung knocks on his head

“Hyuuung…”

“Enough being sad about Buggy Minhyunnie, it’s time to get ready, okay?”

“It’s Bugi hyung…”

“Bugi, buggy whatever. Anyway we have to get ready now, it’s our opening night, remember?”

“Hyung… can I just skip?”

“Do you want me to call Sujin?”

“I’ll get ready now.”

“That’s my bighead!” Aron hyung ruffles his head before leaving him in an empty studio that was full of memories of him and Bugi…it was only 4 hours ago when Bugi and him entered this place to record an ASMR… and it felt like it’s been months since that happened… and now all he can feel is the loneliness of what’s left of Bug-

“HWANG MINHYUN IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STOP FILMING A MELODRAMA IN MY FUCKING STUDIO AND START GETTING READY THEN PLEASE DO SO BEFORE I CALL SUJIN NOONA WHICH BY THE WAY I’LL DO IN 10 SECONDS IF YOU’RE STILL THERE!!!!”

**~**

“I’m getting tired of smiling at everyone Dongho-yah...” he grumbles at his brother

“Yah. Start calling me Baekho, We’re at _Heaven_ right now.” Dongho corrects him

“Sure Dongho.” He grins at Baekho who looks so annoyed now

“I’m getting tired of baby-sitting a spoiled ass, where’s Aron anyway?”

“Dunno he was here 5 mins ago, he’ll probably be back—well I don’t know.” He says with a shrug

“He’s probably looking for his Mr. Fluffy Rabbit…” Baekho comments nonchalantly as he types on his phone

“Probably… He’s head over heels in love with Mr. Rabbit anyway.”

“Yeah.”

“So how are things working out for you and the so-called _‘love of my life’_?”

“Fine.”

“You arguing already?”

“We’re not.”

“Then why does your brow do that thing when you’re texting **_LOML_**?”

“What does my brow do?”

“…like it’s constipated or something.” his friend suddenly looks at him with a smirk

“So you’re back to being Hwang-ASS huh?” he evilly winks at him

“It’s KING ass, and I was never gone anyway.” He says sipping on the glass of Cola

“Sure King, King of Vacuums and melodrama…” his friend scoffs at him but still busy texting

“Yah… don’t put it that way, _Bugi’s different_ …and don’t make me go emotional again…” he sips again

“Sure Jan, hold up I’m getting a call—Yeoboseyo?” Baekho says leaving as he goes inside a room

He looks down at the crowd that’s happily enjoying the music and atmosphere in their newly opened club… _I wish I could feel the same as them…_ he sadly thinks… feeling lonely since his brother left him here all alone...in this darkness…after reminding him of Bugi…

_I miss you Bugi…_ he sighs as taking another sip of cola in his glass

_I’m sorry that I left you alone there… it must’ve been lonely there right Bugi?_ Another sip.

_That doctor better treat you right… after all the surgery went well… only a few more hours… and we could see each other again… okay Bugi?_ And another.

_be strong for me…  for us…I’ll be here for you… and I promise this time…I’ll handle you more carefully…_ And another more.

He sighs and looks back at the crowd. _God I miss you so much…_ He takes another sip again only to realize that he already finished his drink. _I guess I have to go down to get one of this again, Should tell Aron to get a larger glass to serve their customers…what brand of Cola is this anyway? This is pretty good and non-alcohol drinkers would like this….._ He says mumbling to himself as he goes down to the bar.

~

“Min, Minhyun-ah?? King? King of Vacuums? Ya Hwang Minhyun!” Baekho calls out as he checks every room in the VIP area

“Oh fuck. Aron’s really going to kill me.” As he holds the now empty glass of Rum and Cola.


	3. Look

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jonghyun realized that he wasn’t drinking “tea”  
> and regrets it. Like really regrets it.

 

**_“I want to make you feel my heart,_ **

**_Without holding back, take my hand…”_ **

**-NU’EST | _Look_**

 

The lights are hypnotizing him.

Yes, that’s how it feels like…

_I’m telling you,_

_A different heaven, a different time, a different place_

_I love you, love you…_

 

His body feels like they have a mind of their own as it gracefully moves with the music. He doesn’t hate this strange him though— in fact he likes it. He likes how his body moves in time with the music, how this weird atmosphere makes him feel free, ecstatic even, like he’s trapped in a _bliss_ and doesn’t want to ever get out of it.

 

_I can’t lie to you_

_We are giving the same signal_

_I won’t lie to you_

_I saw a miracle_

_Yeah it is you_

 

Must be the tea…Yup, _definitely_ the tea. He thinks.

 

_A bright neon sign_

_When you close your eyes, I’ll be your firefly_

_The beautiful you_

 

In the midst of being pressed by sweaty bodies (that he hardly cares about now),

He feels euphoric, like he’s in paradise.

Intoxicated with the atmosphere,

Enraptured by the person in front of him…

 

_Past the sad memories,_

_I want to hug you someday_

_The beautiful you_

“Hey, look at me.” the stranger says as he gently strokes his cheek

“I Am.” he answers with a smile

 

The stranger smiles at him sweetly as he leans down.

Gently, sweetly kissing him…

 

_Baby you,_

_Oh, the beautiful you._

 

**_Where you at...where you at....where you at...where you at...WHERE YOU ATTTTTTTT!!!!_ **

Jonghyun wakes up to his phone that keeps ringing on the side table… he groggily fumbles and gets it just to see that the caller is no other than _CHOI MINKI AKA DEMON_ calling at 7am on a fucking Saturday.

“What—” he grunts

**_“KIM FUCKING JONGHYUN!!! DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I’VE CALLE-”_ **

“No.”

**_“—WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!”_ **

“My room...stop screaming demon, it’s still too early...” he says irritated at his friend

**_“DO YOU FUCKING THINK I WOULD CALL YOU IF YOU’RE IN YOUR FUCKING ROOM RIGHT NOW?!”_ **

“…What?” That woke him up

**_“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!!”_ **

He opens his eyes to check his _room_ and fuck the demon’s right he’s not in his room. His wall that was full of his favorite games and characters’ posters are replaced with lame framed quotations, the bookshelves that should be filled with his mangas, and medical books (and toy figures) are now replaced with novels, books on how to take care of vacuum cleaners ( _wtf?!_ ) and… what the? Is that the _LIMITED EDITION OPTIMUS PRIME (KNIGHT EDITION) GOLD VERSION?!_ He looks at his(?) bed and is shocked (or not because how the hell could he even have that OPTIMUS PRIME GOLD VERSION) to see that someone is sleeping beside him like for real SOMEONE IS FUCKING SLEEPING BESIDE HIM HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN?!

**_“.....Hello?! HELLO?!!!!!!! KIM FUCKING JONGHYUN!!!! ANSWER ME YOU BISH!!!!!!!!!!!!”_ **

“Min.....Minki....I..think… I’m not in my—”

**_“YOU THINK?!”_ **

“Minki, please... there’s... there’s a...guy...here...help...”

**_“Is he hot?”_ **

“Minki.”

**_“Fine. Are you wearing your clothes?”_ **

He looks at himself and _fuck,_ he’s half naked _._ “Uh...”

**_“You’re not?!”_ **

“I don’t have a top.” he says as he stealthily stand up trying not to wake up unknown guy

**_“Oh bummer.”_ **

“Minki, Please just—”

**_“-KAY. Are you at a hotel?”_ **

He glances at the expensive LIMITED EDITION figure again and the many guide books of how to take care of a vacuum cleaner—who even reads that?

“...No I don’t think so.”

**_“Well since you’re sadly only half naked, start looking for your shirt.”_ **

“Okay...” he quickly scans the room for his shirt

**_“Check the guy if he’s hot too.”_ **

“Shut up…I can’t find my shirt...” God where the fuck is his shirt?! He tries to check unknown guy’s side of the bed too, but sadly it’s not there.

**_“Then just stay there.”_ **

“Minki.” he sighs tired of dealing with his situation and his very helpful best friend

**_“Fine. Look for the guy’s shirt.”_ **

He does what Minki says and sees something under unknown guy’s bed and is that…a shirt? He bends down, to grab the fabric and fuck YES its A SHIRT!! Thank you Lord!! He can finally get out here without shocking the poor civilians of his half nakedness. There’s hope in this world after all!

“Found a shirt.” he says back to Minki

**_“Now check the guy if he’s hot or not.”_ **

“Can you please just stop?”

**_“At least check the guy out!! Like if he’s breathing or something! You’re gonna be a future surgeon anyway, just think of this as pract—”_ **

“Shut up.”

**_“Would it kill you to check him out?”_ **

“Yes.”

**_“This is why you’re single and will always be single”_ **

“Right...”

**_“So what’s the plan now?”_ **

“Leave? What else is there to do?”

**_“I don’t know, maybe stay and cuddle unknown guy?”_ **

“Shut it.”

**_“Then at least check if the guy is hot or not!!! Is he even wearing something?”_ **

Come to think of it…he actually needs to find that out, especially since he woke up half naked, so it only makes sense if he checks unknown guy if he’s…like…wearing something right? Then maybe… this situation would somehow make sense? And fuck. Why the hell can’t he remember anything last night?!

He eyes the unknown guy who’s bundled up in his comforter like a burrito. Well how can he see if unknown guy is naked or not when he’s like that?

He checks all sides of unknown guy to peek into when he sees a small opening that shows a tiny bit of skin? He doesn’t even know which part of body that he saw as he stealthily moves his hand to try and pry the comforter a little more opening just to see if…

_“Bugi…”_ He stops. Fuck is he awake? Shit I need to get out _“Bugi...”_ unknown guy mumbles again then snores. Thank God. He breathes out.

But…….Bugi? Who the hell is Bugi? Anyway, not my problem. I guess I should just give up in finding out if unknown is clothed or not. Now focus Kim Jonghyun, you need to leave now! Find your things!

**_“Hello? Hello???? Atleast fucking hang up if you decided to just stay there and have sex!!!”_** Choi Minki screams on the phone. Fuck he forgot about the demon

“Please just _shut up_.” he says through the receiver as he eyes his wallet on the side table.

**_“Oh now you remember that I’m still here?”_** This sassy demon seriously he thinks again as he grabs his wallet and scans the room to see if he can find more of his things (read: missing shirt)

“Looking for my things.”

**_“Did you check him out?”_ **

“ _NO._ ”

**_“Just fucking check him out!!! I’m dying of this curiosity!!! You already slept with him anyway!”_ **

“Minki JUST—”

**_“Well, you literally slept with him, so just chec—”_** He hangs up on his best friend and sighs. Seriously Choi Minki—of all the things that his demon bestfriend would be “worried” about, of course it would be about the stranger that he _slept_ with (that sound so wrong) if he’s _hot_ or _not_. Choi Minki will probably bombard him later with a thousand questions and just thinking about it gives him a headache.

He sighs again, giving up on his missing shirt (and Choi Minki) he silently walks to the door. He stops by the door and looks back to the sleeping stranger and sighs. _Fuck. What the hell did he do last night?_

He closes the door silently as to not disturb the sleeping guy in the bedroom and hears someone talking.

“I missed you too. I’m really sorry for last night. I should’ve told you about it.” The voice says coldly a complete opposite to what he’s saying. But this isn’t the time for that.

_Because fuck_ —now he has to deal with this stranger’s housemate? Well this situation can’t get any worse—fuck it. He takes a deep breathe, ready to do a walk of shame, he doesn’t have any choice anyway so let’s just get this over with. He walks to the living room.

“It’s fun, no—I mean of course I didn’t enjoy much because you’re not there.” The voice says lifelessly again.

Wow, this housemate seems to be in the middle of appeasing someone yet in a way he doesn’t mean any of it? Well—whatever it’s not his business and he just hopes he won’t intrude him with whatever shit he’s doing with his sudden appearance.

“I’m telling the truth, you can even ask Youngmin hyung.”

He’s at the corner now, let’s do this Jonghyun-ah, man up—only a few steps ‘til you get out of this place. He hits his chest and continues to walk to the living room—with his head up high, doing a walk of shame.

“I swear I didn’t talk to anyone else aside from the boys, and the staff. I didn’t even go near—”

_WHAT. THE. FUCKING. FUCK._ And he thought this situation can’t get any more worse? Well, it definitely fucking can.

He hears the thud of something dropping and right in front of him there’s **_Thor_** frozen in place feeding his fishes or more like emptying the bottle of fish pellets on his aquarium—congrats fishies, you’ll get to eat a ton, yay—his eyes looks like it’s about to pop out, mouth gaping open waaaaay to open, looking at him.

_….to all the Gods, deities, wizards, magicians, or whatever creature that exists please open up a hole right now and swallow me up because I don’t think I can handle more of this embarrassment any longer._

**_Where you at...where you at....where you at...where you at...WHERE YOU ATTTTTTTT!!!!_ **

_The Gods really do care about him._

He takes his phone out from the back pocket of his jeans to answer the call—whoever the caller is, He definitely owes him his life.

He checks the caller ID, to know who he owes this gratitude, only to see its _Choi Minki, the Demon._

_Wow, he’s really the son of Hades._

“Hello?” he answers the call, his voice shaking a little as he looks at Thor who looks like he finally got a grip on himself.

**_“You done with round 1 already?”_** Choi Demon asks, definitely the son of Hades.

“Fuck off.” he says to Minki while still looking at Thor who’s now trying to fix or save his fishes from overeating.

**_“Guess you’re out of the bedroom now huh? Send me your location so I’ll pick you up.”_ **

“NO.”

**“ _Why?!_ ”** Minki yells through the receiver. Well how can he fucking tell Minki that he slept with a stranger whose housemates with Thor guy who is friends with his Arod?!

“Look, I’ll call you later.”

**_“KIM FUCKING JONGHYUN!! DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE HANG—”_** Sorry Minki, but I need to hang up on you again. He sighs. He glances at Thor who looks like he gave up on the mess he did with his fishes.

“So…” Thor says

“…so?” he says back

“I won’t ask you anything, so how about breakfast?”

“You just asked one.”

Thor smiles at him “I did, so how about it?”

“I like the offer… but I really need to go right now.”

“You’re not going to wait for Min to wake up?” So the stranger’s name is _Min?_ Interesting.

“Uhm… I’d rather not, sorry.”

“How about coffee downstairs?” Thor asks again

“Look man, I really need to—”

“Okay, let’s get coffee downstairs, I’ll just get my things.” Thor says as he walks to a room.

What the hell?! Can’t he just fucking leave peacefully?! Leaving this situation and everything behind him?! He grabs his hair getting annoyed with himself because to be honest it’s all his fault if he was in his right mind last night, then maybe this mess would never happened—he can’t even remember what the hell happened last night and how he ended up here!

“-JR ssi?” Thor looks at him, with concern all over his face.

“Uh yes?” He says trying his best to keep his composure in place—if he can even do that.

“Here, I think you may need one.” Thor gives him a jacket.

“Thanks.” Thor smiles at him as he leads the way to the front door

“…uhm I don’t know exactly know what your shoes are…” Thor says looking through their organized shoe cabinet

“Oh let me find it.” he checks through the layers of shoes and he can’t find his. Did he walk here barefooted?? Even in a drunken state of mind he doesn’t think he would do that… he can’t possibly do that…right? He feels his feet on the floor to check if there’s signs that he actually walked barefoot last night, and there’s none, so where the hell are his shoes?!

“Uh Thor?” he says with a little panic because of his missing shoes.

“Thor?? Did you just call me Thor??” Thor looks up at him from his phone with an amused grin

“Sorry… I kinda forgot your name...” Rather than be offended with his stupidity, Thor just laughs at the situation like this is the funniest thing in the world, and to be honest, it is with everything that has happened to him til now.

Thor goes to the cabinet and takes a pair of sneakers and passes it to him. “Is this okay?”

“Yeah thanks?”

“Dongho, my name’s Dongho, though they usually call me Baekho too, so you can just call me Baekho or Dongho, or even Thor!” Baekho beams at him

“I think I’ll just call you Baekho, since you remind me of a white tiger, or would you rather I call you Thor?” he says teasing Baekho who only gives him a hearty laugh in return.

“As much I would love to be called Thor, I’ll just pass on it, you ready?”

He slips on the sneakers and gives Baekho a smile “yup, let’s go.”

~

The elevator ride down wasn’t awkward at all, and he actually wants to thank Baekho sincerely this time, for lending him a jacket because he looks like shit—like he was just kicked out from home, the white shirt that he took under the bed was so thin than its almost see through and his hair looks so disheveled in a very not good way and the bags under his eyes just screams that he just went through hell and came back.

“JR? Sorry, I mean JR ssi?” Baekho says as they walk on the street

“Nah, just call me JR, I don’t mind.” it’s not even my real name he says to himself

“Great, oh we’re here.” They walk in the café and thankfully it’s not that crowded because as much as he doesn’t care now about people looking at him (since he’s used to it by now), he’d rather not have that attention today especially looking like a mess, worse someone he knows might recognize him looking like shit and would reach his family which will be a big disaster. He tries his best to hide his face with the jacket that Baekho lent him but it’s not working.

“There’s a restroom there at the end and here.” Baekho hands him a cap, and he can’t even reject it because he really needs it right now, especially in this state.

“Thanks Baekho, really.”

“No prob. I’ll just sit there.” Baekho points at the table in the back and he nods, heading the restroom.

He washes his face and tries his best to at least smoothen his messy hair, he checks himself in the mirror—good, he looks a little better now. He dries his hands, wears Baekho’s cap and just about to head out of the washroom when he bumps straight into a guy.

“Ouch… Jonghyun?” oh shit. Seungcheol is here. Of all places.

“…Cheol-ah.” he says trying to hide the panic in his voice.

“What are you doing here?” Seungcheol asks, scrutinizing him.

“Washing my hands?” he answers back as normally as he could.

“I see that, I didn’t see Minki outside though.”

“I’m with someone else.” He says with a shrug

“You are?” Cheol asks him in a sarcastically manner.

“I do have other friends aside from you guys, you know.”

“Yeah sure, like you do. Go, let’s not keep your _‘friend’_ waiting. Laters, baby.” he rolls his eyes at Cheol while the guy gives him a smirk and pat in the shoulder as he passes by to do his thing.

“Laters.” The other nods but he can see a hint of devilish smile on the other’s face. He sighs and heads out. His luck really.

He sees Baekho brows furrow like he’s constipated busy typing a message on his phone. “Hey?” he says, taking a sit at their table.

“Oh, you’re back!” Baekho says with a smile, putting his phone on the table.

“Yeah.”

“Feel a little bit better?”

“Kinda…”

“Good, I ordered Americano, is that okay?”

“Yeah thanks again.” he takes a sip of his coffee maybe this will help wake him up and make him remember what happened last night.

“So...” Baekho starts. Looking at him, reading his reaction.

“So?”

“I know it’s none of my business, but what happened last night? You were suddenly gone as ‘your parents’ said. The last time I saw you was before I left the dance floor, when you were dancing with us, then after that Aron hyung found me at the bar, telling me that you were missing, the next we heard from you was Ren telling us that you’re with an ‘angel’ and his mad as fuck, _like_ _real mad_ , Aron and I got scared as hell.”

“I was dancing with you?!”

“With _us,_ like, Aron, Ren and I? Fuck, you don’t remember anything at all??”

“Yeah. Sorry… so I was suddenly gone?? Like poof??”

“Not really like that, but they said that you’re just gonna go to the restroom and you never came back.”

“And no one looked for me?”

“Uh…Ren and Aron… looked for you... after an hour…” Nice. Not surprised though. “Figures, and?”

“Ren kept calling you, Aron and I were looking through CCTVs and the whole club to find you, but poof you’re not there.”

“.....and?”

“Ren…called Aron and told him that he already talked to you… So Aron and I head back to the VIP Room where we left Ren…” Baekho suddenly shakes like his a scared puppy. He nods at Baekho to continue. Even though he doesn’t remember anything last night, he knows what his best friend is when he’s in demon mode.

“So when we got inside…Ren…uh… told us that you talked to him and you said that you were with ‘ _angel_ ’ and hanged up on him. Ren… was so angry… like really angry… he was stabbing the food in the table the whole time…” Well, now he knows what happened last night… or at least some of it.

“…then?”

“Then… we left, Aron left with Ren, I went home and slept, then I woke up, feeding my babies, and just like that…” Baekho looks at him, grasping and putting all the pieces together.

“Yeah just like that.”

“So…the angel is… Min?” Baekho asks him with a smirk

“Probably?” He says, as Baekho looks at him with a confused look. “Look, I don’t know, I didn’t even know his name til you said it.”

If Baekho was giving him a confused look earlier now the guy was back to gaping at him like he said something he shouldn’t. “Are you okay Baek—”

“Jonghyun-ah!” he stiffens at the familiar voice of his friend. Fuck. He forgot about Cheol.

_Please pretty please don’t let him go to us please pretty please Gods, Deities, and Hades please I swear I’ll be good to your demon son for the rest of my life just please don’t let Cheol go to our table, pretty please pretty please..._

“Ya! Jonghyun!” Cheol pats him on the back. And if Baekho was gaping earlier he’s definitely gaping more now. Well fuck. “Jonghyunnie, aren’t you gonna introduce me to your _friend_?” Cheol asks in with that devilish smirk that’s exactly like his demon cousin.

He looks at Cheol with a glare to stop whatever he was planning but the guy only smirks at him. “Well, Jonghyun?” well what’s done is done. He looks at Baekho who looks at him and Cheol confusingly.

“Baekho, this is Seungcheol, Seungcheol this is Baekho.” He waves at the two men.

“I’m Choi Seungcheol, nice to meet you man.” Cheol offers his hand to Baekho.

“Kang Baekho, nice to meet you too...” Baekho shakes his hand still confused on what’s happening right now.

“Anyway, sorry for interrupting, I just got curious on who Jonghyunnie is meeting.” Cheol says.

“Yeah… no worries.” Baekho says with a slightly worried smile.

“See you later Jonghyun?” how many times does Seungcheol have to say his name over and over again?! He doesn’t even say his name on a normal basis!

“Yes Cheol, see you.” He glares at Cheol to tell him to fucking leave now.

“Hope to see you again soon, Baekho ssi! Bye!”  
“Yeah same.” Baekho says with a smile. He hears café door open and closed and breathes out.  Please let it be the last time that I meet someone I know please…he leans down to the table and closes his eyes—groaning—too tired to deal with anything. He just wants to rest, forget everything that happened from last night and just go back to where his life is, his boring life.

He really should’ve have just stayed at home yesterday.

“So…Jonghyun huh?” Baekho says as he sips his coffee.  

“Yeah. I’m Kim Jonghyun.” Baekho chokes on his coffee.

 


	4. Hold on, We're going home.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minhyun meets his bride and chaos ensues.

**_“I got my eyes on you, you’re everything that I see,_ **

**_I want your hot love and emotion, endlessly.”_ **

**-Drake | _Hold on, We’re Going Home_**

 

_…Baby you,_

_Oh, the beautiful you._

 

“Hey? Hey?”

“Hey…please…wake up...” He shakes the stranger who just passed out on him.

Exactly, right after he kissed him.

 

_Wow. How romantic._

_Am I that good of a kisser?_

_It wasn’t even that deep though._

 

He tries to shake the stranger awake again but the guy really fucking passed out.

What am I supposed to do with you now? He sighs as he tries to lift the passed out guy.

Sigh. There goes my night.

He huffs as he lowers himself to carry the stranger in his arms.

They look like a newlywed couple, him being the groom carrying his now passed-out-drunk bride over the threshold, which right now is the fucking dance floor that’s full of sweaty drunk people who keeps on bumping on them.

Well, you can be my Bride, at least for tonight

He glances at his ‘bride’ who is peacefully and comfortably passed-out in his arms.

 

_Well, this could be romantic after all._

He smiles as he slowly walks to out of the dance floor.

~

“What the?” Daniel looks at him stupefied as he nears the bar.

“How about some help Niel?” he grunts

Carrying his bride is taking a toll on his biceps, which by the way he worked so hard for to achieve after a tremendous amount of lifting and push-ups, not to mention of months on only having chicken breast for his meal. Oh, did he mention that he also got beautiful smexy pecs and abs which he thinks will be great to show his bride if only the said bride is conscious.

“Take him to the VIP room hyung, there should be a vaca—”

“Niel, I would love too but I don’t think I could—”

“Let me find a vacant table then…”

“HURRY!!” he tells Daniel as he slowly (read: staggery) follow him.

Thankfully, Daniel did find one, and sadly it only consists of bar stools (courtesy of his dumb self who ordered it)

“Niel… I don’t think this will help me” he says to Daniel the very helpful bartender.

“Well there’s no vacant table left so deal with it.” Daniel says, as he tries to help Minhyun carry some of his bride’s weight.

“Kay fine, now what should we do?” he says as he sits down, bride still comfortably passed out on his arms

“Excuse me? _‘WE’_?!”

“Yes, _WE_.” He says, glaring at the other.

“Hell, I’m not going to join whatever this mess you’re in right now.”

“DANIEL.”

“Nah-uh! Leave me out of this.”

“Please?!”

“…sow _noisy_.” He looks down on his _bride_ who just talked… _cutely_?

“D-did he just say something???” He asks Daniel

“H-He did, I-I heard him too.” Daniel says gaping on his bride.

“Hey…hey… stranger-ssi?” He gently shakes his sleeping (?) again bride.

“You don’t even know his name?!” Daniel glares at him annoyed.

“He passed out before I could even ask him.”

“Seriously hyung, what did you even do to him?!”

“Uh… I don’t know… maybe… ki-kissed him?”

“YOU WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Uhhh….Stop bewing noisy... _Jonghyunni_ e…ish sweeping.”

“Oh my fucking god did he just?” Niel gapes again at his bride. He looks down too at the squirming bride in his arms who looks so annoyed at them for waking him up

Oh God….His…Bride...no...Jong…Jonghyun…Jonghyunnie…is pouting…at him (read:them). Can a guy _pouting_ at him be the reason of his _death_? If someone asked him this a few hours ago he’ll just laugh at them because who would fucking die out of a guy’s pout, right?

But now, seeing his bride.... _his_?

Yes this pouting guy will be _his_ and _only his_ from now on (Insert dramatic laugh and thunder). His _Jonghyunnie_ pouting at him so close and so cutely might actually give him a heart attack.  

Especially now with his heart beating so fucking fast and out of control.

“H-hi Jo-jonghyun…nie?”

“Hmmf…Jonghyunnie…wanths to sweep mowe.” His Jonghyunnie says as he pouts and squirms in his arms.

He looks at Daniel to at least help put some sense in his brain on how to handle his Jonghyunnie but the very helpful friend of him just looks at his Jonghyunnie with adoration which…

“Ow! What’s that for?!”

“That’s for looking at my Jonghyunnie.”

“Your what?!”

“MY JONGHYUNNIE. MI—”

“Stahp yelling...sow noiwsyyy” His Jonghyunnie glares at them with a very cute adorable one of a kind pout that makes his heart stop and he just want to give his Jonghyunnie the whole world.

_Okay get your shit together Hwang Minhyun._

“Uh…Jonghyunnie?” He asks

“Hmmmm”

“Uh….Where do you live? So I could take you…uhm…home?” Jonghyunnie squints at him and pouts more—adorably.

_Dear Heart…please settle down a little…I need to be alive to take him home… So please calm down…_

“Jonghyunnie don’t whanna tell…” Oh God… please…let me survive his aegyo… pleaseeee… pleaseeeeeee…or I might do something not good to him right now.

He looks up at Daniel who’s back at gaping (again) on his Jonghyunnie, too dumbstruck (again) on the guy’s aegyo fit.

“Jonghyunnie? Pretty please?” He tries

“Hmmmm…no no…Jonghyunnie doeshn’t want tyu.” Jonghyunnie says as he closes his eyes

“But I need to take you home.”

“No~ no~ Jonghyunnie won’t tyell you” his Jonghyunnie says back without even opening his eyes. He sighs as his Jonghyunnie keeps on being difficult—but cute, very cute—like rainbows and butterflies cute, like with singing cherubs cute. He looks at his Jonghyunnie who’s just comfy-snuggling in his chest like he’s the fluffiest bed in the world.

“Hyung, just take him home.” Daniel says with his pleading eyes.

“So now you talk?!”

“Can you blame me?”

“Kay. Point taken.”

“Just please take him home hyung.”

“Good idea, I bet once my Jonghyunnie gets sober he’ll be very happy to wake up in a stranger’s home. Oh! Aron hyung and Baek will like that too, they’ll even make pancakes for him!”

“Why are you always so overly dramatic?! It’s not like we know where your Jonghyunnie lives either! And the hyungs would probably make him pancakes if he’s still like that tomorrow! Just look at him!!!”

Daniel might be actually right. He looks at the cute stranger in his arms, and to be honest, the worst thing this guy might do is to pout all night at him right? it’s not like he didn’t even thought of bringing him home the first time he saw him pouting on the dance floor either… it’s just that…He wasn’t expecting this outcome…of his Jonghyunnie…

“Fine… Just tell Baekho that I already went home okay?”

“Sure sure.” Daniel nods as he smiles on his Jonghyunnie. “And don’t tell them about my Jonghyunnie okay?”

“Uh huh.” the guy nods looking fondly still on his Jonghyunnie.

“Niel ah…”

“Uh huh…”

“Daniel.”

“….” Okay fine. That’s it, that’s the last straw. He kicks Daniel on the sheen to stop him from gawking on his Jonghyunnie.

“OW!!!!! WHAT?!”

“Stop gawking on my Jonghyunnie and get us a fucking cab!”

“You’re not the boss of me.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Fine!” Niel says as he leaves them while murmuring too loud curses. He looks down on the sleeping Jonghyunnie who just looks so comfortable like a baby in his arms.

_Nothing bad will happen right?_

~

Or maybe not. His Jonghyunnie keeps whining in the cab. Like really whining that he feels so bad and embarrassed for the driver who keeps on looking at them through the rearview mirror.

“Jonghyunnie whants tyu be cawwied!!!!!”

“Not now Jonghyunnie...please…” He begs his Jonghyunnie who’s been throwing a tantrum for the last 10 minutes.

“Nooooooooo!!!! Jonghyunnie wants cawwy!!!!”

 _Dear Lord…I’m sorry for all the things that I have done in my life… I’m sorry for calling Baekho an ass… for always teasing Aron hyung… For calling shit on my sister… for being a spoiled ass—_ “JONGHYUNNIE WANTS CAWWY!!!!!!!!!!!!”

 “Young man, please just carry the guy.”

“JONGHYUNNIE WANTS—”

“Okay Jonghyunnie… come here…” he takes the whining Jonghyunnie in his arms again, which thank God stopped the guy from throwing more tantrums and just settled comfortably in his chest again.

“Is he always like that when he’s drunk?” the cab driver asks him.

“Uh…yeah...” he can’t exactly tell him that he has no idea and that he just met his Jonghyunnie right?

“Please take a left there.” he says to the driver as they near their place.

“Is this it?”

“Yes please stop here.” The kind and very patient cab driver helps him open the door as he tries his best to stand and not fall on the ground while carrying the now sleeping Jonghyunnie.

 _This is getting harder than I thought…_ He sighs as he takes his wallet from his back pocket to pay the driver and say his gratitude for not dropping them off the street because of his whining Jonghyunnie… He walks on the entrance of their building apartment while rearranging Jonghyunnie in his arms as he types the passcode for their floor.

 _Only a little bit more Minhyun-ah… you can do this..._ he says to himself.

“-Hyun?” He stops and looks at his Jonghyunnie who is now wide awake.

“…yes?”

“Angel has bweautiful name.” Jonghyun says cutely

“Uhm…thanks?” Jonghyunnie smiles at him warmly.

_CALM DOWN BUTTERFLIES. WE’RE ALMOST HOME. PLEASE CALM DOWN. I’M STILL CARRYING OUR JONGHYUNNIE AND YOU ARE NOT HELPING._

“Jonghyunnie… wants to gow down down...”

“Okay Jonghyunnie” he smiles as he puts his Jonghyunnie down.  “You can stand, right?”

“Ofcouwse” Jonghyun says cutely staggering.

“Here, hold my hand, we just need to take the elevator and we’ll be home.”

“Owkaayyy” Jonghyun says as he holds his hand.

 ~

The elevator ride up was eerily quiet. His Jonghyun just leans on the wall too quietly for the first time and just kept on holding onto his hand.

“Jonghyun-ah? We’re here.” He says to his Jonghyunnie who just gives him a nod still looking on the floor.  “Are you okay?” he asks as they walk out of the elevator. His Jonghyun just nods again…eyes still transfixed on the floor.

_What the hell? Is he sober now?? What should I do?_

He tightens his hold on Jonghyun’s hand to somehow comfort him with whatever that’s going on his head which is now worrying him.

“Hey…only a few more steps okay?” Again. He only receives a nod. He sighs and pulls on the still looking on the floor Jonghyun to follow him as they walk through the apartment door.

“Ish this home?” Jonghyunnie finally speaks as he types in the passcode.

“Yes.” he answers him with a smile as he opens the door. “Finally we’re home.” he says as they step inside the apartment.

He looks down on their hands that’s still interlocked and perfectly fit for each other—that makes the butterflies in his stomach resurrect again. He smiles as he slowly looks up to look at his Jonghyunnie.

_Who looks so pale… like a ghost?_

_Oh Shit._ Before he could open up his mouth to stop his Jonghyunnie from-

 **Blughcccccck** — _Oh God—_ **Blughcccccck** — _FUCK._

He shakes his head to wake him up from this nightmare of vomit all over him and his expensive shirt….and his Gucci shoes… _fuck fuck fuck_

 

"Ughhhhhh…" He looks at Jonghyun who’s dry heaving now and sees that his Jonghyun doesn’t look like much of a ghost anymore… but is covered in his own…ugh he can’t even say it and not feel sick

“Jong…Jonghyunnie??”

“Uhhh Jonghyunnie…doewsnt…hewlp…” Jonghyunnie says looking very uncomfortable—well fuck it, who cares about vomit when his Jonghyunnie needs him, right?

 “…hwelp” His Jonghyunnie says in his cute and adorable voice like a baby.

“Okay Jonghyun, let’s remove your shirt first.” he says as he helps his Jonghyun take his puke-infested shirt off. _Wow…his Jonghyunnie…has nice…pecs too… Focus Hwang MInhyun. FOCUS._

Okay, puke-infested shirt down, what’s next? He takes a look at his Jonghyunnie checking what else needs some saving. _Oh…his jeans… This can’t get any better…_

Okay, time to work on that. He starts to unbuckle Jonghyun’s belt to save him from his puke-infested pants.

“NOoooooooo!!!!”

“B-but Jonghyun this has—”

“Nooooooooo!!!! Jonghyunnie doeshn’t want tyu!!!” His Jonghyun says with a pout which is very very adorable of him by the way.

“Fine. Your shoes then?” he asks his very cute still pouting Jonghyunnie as kneels down to remove his shoes. _Oh my…His Jonghyunnie has very cute feet._ He chuckles as he removes Jonghyun’s socks too

“Why?” Jonghyun looks at him confused

“Nothing…You’re just too… cute.” He says as he stands up.

“I’m not cute.”

“Oh you are... very…”

“Nooooooooot!!!!!” he chuckles again at the pouting guy and gives him a kiss on the fore— _Wait_. What did he just do? Did he kiss the guy again? And this time unconsciously?! _On the forehead?! This…this…is seriously not him…_ Though he wasn’t kidding when he called Jonghyunnie _‘his Jonghyunnie’_ but this…this isn’t him…

“…hyun? Jonghyunnie is thirstwy.” Jonghyun tugs on his hand

“Oh…okay…let me…just remove my—”

“Huwwy!!!!!”

“Yes yes.” he answers back as he removes his shirt and shoes that became casualties of—“HUWWYY!!!!!!!”

“Done!”

~

After quenching Jonghyun’s thirst—which was 4 glasses of water, and feeding him some soup to ease his empty and upset stomach from—let’s not go back there again.  He sits on the couch finally be able to rest. God he missed their couch so much…was it always this comfy? He sighs comfortably as he leans more and rests.

“Jonghyunnie wants bath!!!” …or not  

 “What?”

“Jonghyunnie wants bath time!!” _He wants to take a bath? He heard it right, right?_

“Y-You..want t-to…take a…bath?”

“YES!!! Bath time fow Jonghyunnie now!! Go Go!!!” he says as he pulls Minhyun off from the couch.

_H-his Jonghyunnie, definitely—really… wants to take a bath. So who is Hwang Minhyun to stop him doing that?_

“O-okay Jonghyun-ah, l-let’s go to my r-room...”

“Owkay~” Jonghyun answers eagerly and too innocently. Jonghyun holds his hand again as they walk towards his room.

_Dear God, please don’t let me do something…please…just… Just please stop me from thinking and doing something not so innocent to my Jonghyunnie…_

_Please, that’s all._

He opens the door to his bedroom as Jonghyun enters more like dances his way inside like a kid that was brought into a toy store. He smiles at how cute and innocent Jonghyun is looking at his favorite framed quotations to ogling at his LIMITED EDITION OPTIMUS PRIME (KNIGHT EDITION) GOLD VERSION.

Then he hears a thud. What the—his _LIMITED EDITION OPTIMUS PRIME (KNIGHT EDITION) GOLD VERSION._

“Jonghyun-ah, please… I beg you…put it down…please...” he pleads Jonghyun who’s holding his Optimus Prime by the neck

“But Jonghyunnie wants tyu pwey!!” Jonghyun says as he moves Optimus Prime like an airplane.

“Jong…please…l-let’s play w-with something else, look!” he tries his best to distract Jonghyun with a picture of him and Bugi, which…come to think of it…he didn’t think about for the last couple of hours…weird…he doesn’t even miss or feels sad about the vacuum now…

“Whatch that?” Jonghyun asks curiously as he points on the vacuum

“That’s…Bugi…a…uhm…vacuum.”

“Why ish he name Bugi?”

“Uh…uhm…b-because he…reminds me of Onibugi? The Pokemon?”

“But I’wm Bugi!!!!!” Jonghyun says with a pout as he throws the picture frame on the floor, that’s now shattered in pieces as he stomps his foot— _the tantrums are back. Fuck._

“Jonghyun, Jonghyun please calm down...” he tries to pacify the still tantrum-throwing ‘Bugi’

“NOoo!!!! I’wm Bugi!!!!! Jonghyunnie is BUGI!!!!!!!”

“Okay okay Jonghyunnie, _YOU ARE BUGI_ please just stop or you’ll hurt yourself-“

“I am Buwgi owkay?!” Jonghyun/Bugi glares at him with a pout and arms crossed on his chest.

“Yes yes, you are my Bugi, Now how about some bath time?”

“Owkay~~ Bugi bath time go go~” Jonghyun says as he removes his pants— _WHAT THE FUCK?!_ Just like that?!—And goes straight into the bathroom.

He kneels down to clean the broken picture frame on the floor, which reminds him of so many memories of them spending their time together. From cleaning Dongho’s fucking messy room to going on a trip to Daniel’s hell of an apartment.

There’s so many precious memory of them… but he has his own and real _‘Bugi’_ now.

_I’m sorry Bugi, I guess this is goodbye for us huh?_

_Thank you for always taking care of me and my brothers… We appreciate it so much, you know that I’ll always—_

“Hyun!!! Jonghyunnie wanths bath time now!!!!”

“COMING NOW MY YOUNG MASTER.” He says as he puts the broken picture frame in the trash. “HUWWY!!!”

 He chuckles at how everything has changed so much in just a matter of hours. How he, Hwang Minhyun is his Jonghyunnie’s _‘beck and call’._ How Jonghyun charmed him and his heart in a very very short time

Does he regret anything? _No_ —actually yes, just the puking part—everything else other than that is just perfectly romantic. _At Least for him, that is._

He smiles and puts Jonghyun’s pants on the chair and walks to the bathroom for his precious Jonghyun’s bath time.

 

 

**_Where you at...where you at....where you at...where you at...WHERE YOU ATTTTTTTT!!!!_ **

**1 Missed Call from My Greek Seal <3**

**5 Missed Calls from Choi Demon**

 


	5. Crying in the club pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minhyun just wants his specialty cola and the very kind bartender doesn't know what that is.

**_“So put your arms around me tonight, let the music lift you up,_ **

**_Like you've never been so high._ **

**_Open up your heart to me, let the music lift you up,_ **

**_Like you've never been this free.”_ **

**-Camila Cabello | Crying in the Club**

 

“Niel ah...” he says to the busy bartender as he sits on the bar.

“What? I had enough of your vacuum stories hyung.” Daniel says as he makes some drinks

“Did you just call my _precious_ Bugi, a _vacuum_?!” he glares at Daniel.

“Your _precious Bugi,_ is _technically_ and _literally_ a _vacuum_ , why are you here anyway? Shouldn’t you be upstairs with your _babysitter?_ ” Niel says as he gives a customer a cocktail.

“My so-called babysitter is busy talking with his _LOML_. Why are you so rude to me and Bugi, Niel ah? Bugi even cleaned up your messy life. He doesn’t deserve this rude behavior from you.”

“Hyung, your Bugi’s job is to clean, and I didn’t even asked you to go to my apartment, you’re the one who showed up with a scary smile and a vacuum in your arms.”

“Still, you have to be grateful for us for cleaning up that apartment of yours.”

“Like you weren’t finding a place to clean and test your vacuum?”

“Whatever, stop calling Bugi a vacuum and just give me a cola.”

“Sure” Daniel rolls his eyes at him and gives him a fucking coke in can. “That’s not the cola that I asked for!”

“Do you want the zero then?”

“Niel, I want the cola that this club serves! Not the one in cans!!!”

“Chill man, I can just put in on a glass, no need to be dramatic.”

“Ugh Niel, listen okay? I don’t want those coke in cans, I want to have that _specialty cola_ that they served to us upstairs.”

“What are you talking about?”

“THE SPECIALTY COLAS THAT WE HAVE AND WAS SERVED UPSTAIRS!!!!!” he yells exasperatedly at Niel who seems shaken by his sudden outburst.

“Look Hyung, I think you weren’t supposed to have that, where’s Baek hyung?” Niel says looking at him with worry.

“I don’t care where the fuck Baekho is!! Just give me the damn cola!”

“Hyung, calm down people are staring.”

“I don’t give a fuck, give me the fucking—”

“Excuse me, is there a problem here?” a guy that looks like a baby seal interrupts them.

“No, not at all Seongwu hyung—” Niel explains to his _‘hyung’._ So Seongwu huh? He looks at this brave stranger that interrupted them. Come to think of it, he looks like the Korean version of Dylan O’ Brien and he’s quite tall too, his shirt is expensive… guess I have to be careful...This might be one of the VIP guests that Aron was talking about.

His eyes go down as he scans this Might-be-VIP-Baby-Seal-looking-Dylan-O’-Brien-look-a-like guy named Seongwu and sees that the guy is holding the specialty cola in his hands.

“…you sure Niel? This guy just yelled at you.” Seal Guy says as he glares at him.

“Yeah Hyung, don’t worry about him, he’s harmless, he’s just throwing a tantrum right now.”

“Is this the spoiled guy you were— _shit!_ ” Seal guy says as he steals the glass of specialty cola. “ _Hyung NO!!!!!!!!!!!_ ” Niel screams at him, trying his best to reach him as he downs the entire glass of _specialty cola._

“Fuck, is this guy _crazy_?” Seal guy says to Niel.

“ _He is_ , wait a minute hyung, I’ll just call his babysitter”

“If you could. My babysitter’s probably busy on his phone right now.” He smirks at Niel, who gives him unamused look and a warning to just sit there and behave as he calls his babysitter.

“ _What?_ ” he says to Seal guy who keeps staring at him weirdly.

“Nothing. You just looked familiar.” Seal guy says still staring at him like he was putting puzzle pieces together.  

“Familiar? Like you’ve seen me… in your dreams before?” he smirks on Seal guy.

“More like a nightmare of an asshole that’s full of himself.” He sarcastically says to him as he nods to Niel—who’s still busy calling Baekho and leaves the bar.

“Niel… I think you should start evaluating your _hyung_ list.”

“Good idea! I should start with you, I guess?” Daniel answers back as he continue to call Baekho on his phone.

“I’ve been nothing but good to you—you rude puppy.” he says as he spins on his stool to check on their club which what he should be doing since he’s part of the owners, after all.

“Sure Jan. Seriously does Baekho hyung even answer calls aside from his LOML?!” Daniel sighs as he gives up on calling his babysitter.

“Guess you have no choice but to babysit me for now.” He says to Daniel and hears a big sigh in return. He looks at the crowd that was so hyped up as Dr _. Dre’s The Next Episode’s_ ends _,_ feeling proud of Baekho, as he was in charge of handling that. Guess nothing to worry about there he thinks as he continue to look at the crowd that seems to be _getting_ drunk by the mood of the club.

He was about to leave and go back to his daycare (read: VIP room) to relieved the busy bartender’s nanny duties of him, when a lanky-sexy-tousled-hair guy grab his attention.

_The guy reminds… keeps reminding him of someone… Someone so precious and special…_

He stares at the guy moving in between couples on the edge of the dance floor…

_He reminds him of heavenly smiles and laughter… soft and kissable lips… But he can’t remember when or where…_

He keeps on staring at the said guy, who somehow gave up on walking out of the dancefloor—when he’s just a few steps away—not even moving an inch, when he’s in between a couple that’s trying to push him out of their space—which he doesn’t seem to even notice—giving him the look to move out of their way but the said guy just crosses his arms and gives them a very very cute pout—like a kid that didn’t get his favorite toy.

He chuckles very loud that earned him a look from a very cute still pouting stranger.

_The stranger can hear him over this loud music? How?_

He looks at the guy again who’s now glaring and really pouting at him harder which only made the stranger look cuter than ever.

He chuckles and looks at the stranger and stands from his place.

“Where are you going hyung?” Daniel says as he sees him standing up.

“Gonna collect my man.” he says as he walks to the dance floor.

 

_…Baby you,_

_Oh, the beautiful you…_


	6. Consequences (Crying in the club pt. 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hour (or hours) that Jonghyun was missing

 

**_“Loving you was young, and wild, and free._ **

**_Loving you was cool, and hot, and sweet._ **

**_Loving you was sunshine, safe and sound,_ **

**_A steady place to let down my defenses._ **

**_But loving you had consequences.”_ **

 

**_-_ ** **Camila Cabello | _Consequences_**

 

He’s sitting in their table.

Enjoying the loud chatters of people around him.

He looks around, a group of friends’ laughing so loud enjoying their Friday night.

It reminds him so much of the younger them. Just enjoying everything, no pressure and no responsibilities, not caring about what people will say.

 

_Good times._

He mumbles with a smile.

 

He looks at the group one by one, amused and envious of them, when a couple catches his attention.

If you look at them from afar you’ll just see a normal couple laughing with their friends

But when you look closely you’ll see how the guy holds his boyfriend in his arms with so much affection.

He smiles sadly as he looks at them.

_How he wish he could be like that…_

_To assure the person that he loves that he feels the same way too and that there’s nothing to doubt about it._

He looks back at the couple

They guy kisses his boyfriend in the shoulder while the other just smiles.

**_Why am I always the last to know?_ **

_I’m sorry… I forgot to tell you._

The guy whispers something to his boyfriend, earning him a smile and a kiss from the other in return.

**_It can’t always be like this..._ **

_I know… I’m sorry… I’ll do better next time…_

The guy smiles as he hugs his boyfriend lovingly—like they’re in the world of their own, like nothing else matters but each other.

**_You always say that, but you never do._ **

_I’m sorry…_

He stands up and goes to the bar.

_I need more drink._

**~**

 

“What do you mean he went home Niel ah?”

“Literally, he went home hyung.”

“And you didn’t even think of calling me?”

“I’ve been calling you for a hundred times hyung! You never picked up!” He checks his phone and his cousin was right, he really did call and texted him a lot. Though it was only _11 times and not a hundred._ he sighs as he checks the messages that his cousin sent him earlier.

 

**Kang Daniel:**

**_YOUR BABY IS HERE_ **

**_HYUNG!!!!!!! DONGHO HYUNG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_ **

**_I THINK YOUR BABY DRANK SOMETHING THAT’S NOT FOR HIM._ **

**_PLEASE COLLECT HIM HYUNG—I BEG YOU HE’S THROWING A TANTRUM._ **

**_HYUNG PLEAAAAAASE!!!!_ **

 

**_I DIDN’T KNOW THAT BEING A BARTENDER HERE COMES WITH BABYSITTING._ **

**_Minhyun hyung went home. Please don’t mind what I said earlier_ ** **.**

“Uhm…so what exactly happened?” he asks his cousin who looks so done with him.

“Aside from being the overly-dramatic-tantrum-throwing-spoiled-ass hyung that he is, well nothing much.”

“Then why did he went home all of a sudden?”

“…uh he has…he…he just said he misses his vacuum so much and left.”

“He’s still hang up on that?”

“…yeah he was…is...”

“Niel, I think you need to study tenses again.”

“Whatever.” He unlocks his phone to call the baby that he was supposed to be watching.

**_“Hello.”_** The spoiled-asshat-brat answers with a ragged voice.

**“You at home now?”** He asks—it’s still his responsibility anyway—especially when he’s the one incharge to babysit him tonight.

**_“You finally remembered me? I’m so touched.”_** The other says with his usual sarcastic tone.

**“Fuck you. I looked for you, you know.”**

**_“Oh, that’s so sweet of you Kang Dongho ssi.”_** Again with the sarcasm. He pinches the bridge of his nose and breathes out. **“Guess you’re okay now.”** He says with a shrug.

**_“What do you mean?”_** The other asks taken aback

**“Niel said you’re being over—I mean he said you missed your vac—”**

**_“—Jonghyunnie wanths mow soup!!!!_** ” He hears another voice—he checks his phone and it’s still Minhyun, what the hell? **_“Dongho, I-I’ll call—JONGHYUNNIE WANTS MOW SOUP!!!!!!!”_**

**“Yah! Minhyun!!! Hwang Minhyun!!!!! Hello????”**

What the fuck was that?

He tries to call Hwang Minhyun again but the bastard turned off his phone.

He looks at Daniel who suddenly started cleaning something at the bar when it’s not even part of his job.

“Niel.” Daniel starts to “wipe” the wine glasses that doesn’t even need wiping

“Daniel” still wiping wine glasses. “KANG DAN—”

“Yes _my favorite handsome sexy bandit of a cousin_? Do you need some drink? I’ll make you one. _Uh-oh_ the ingredients aren’t here. Guess I’ll just have to go to the kitchen to get some ingredients for your drink. Please _don’t_ wait back for me.” his cousin continues to babble as he walks out of the bar.

“Yah! KANG DANIEL GET BACK—”

“There you are!!!!” Aron says, panting like he just went to a marathon.

“You okay?”

“J-JR is.”

“What?”

“JR, my son is missing.”

“…what?”

“JR, the cute lanky tousled haired guy that my adorable fluffy sweet and ethereal looking Ren introduced to you? Ring a bell Dongho-ya?” The other asks sarcastically.

“Yes, I know that JR, hyung.”

“Oh thank God! Now the main point Dongho is, he is missing like poof! Gone!” Aron says as he claps his hands in the air explaining what missing means to like a 5 year old

“…I know what missing is hyung, I’m not that stupid.” He says annoyed at the other.

“Really?” He rolls his eyes and sighs. Seriously, what’s wrong with his friends? Like the other is a spoiled ass overly dramatic bastard and his hyung is just… he can’t even explain.

“Whatever. Have you tried looking around the club?”

“Dongho ya, does me explaining—” His hyung does the poof hand clapping thingy again in the air “—how poof he went missing not enough for you?” He grits his teeth and smiles—stay calm _Dongho, stay calm._

“I’m asking if you _tried_ looking around the club hyung.”

“I’m doing it now, Ren said he wasn’t in the restroom, and he’s not in our table since I was just there, and...” Aron hyung looks around the bar “looks like he’s not here in the bar too—so poof!”

“Are you drunk?”

“Maybe. Maybe not.” Aron smirks at him and he rolls his eyes at his hyung because the guy may or may not be drunk but still. More babysitting for him.  Great. Now he has to look for a missing boy, and take care of a may or may not be drunk sarcastic hyung.

“Have you checked the dance floor?” He asks

“Oooooh!!! That’s a good idea! Did you really think I haven’t thought of that though? Of course I’ve checked the dance floor genius.” He rolls his eyes at the sarcastic elder who usually gets that sarcastic when:

  1. He’s drunk
  2. Drowning in his studies
  3. When their family is giving them the “you need to do this shit because it’s our family business shit”



So it’s probably option 1. How many drinks this hyung actually had? He was sure he only had 2 glasses of Rum and coke at their table.

“Thanks for the smart ass answer hyung, where’s Ren?”

“He’s….he’s…with a guy...” Aron hyung’s sarcastic smile fades and looks like a kicked puppy all of a sudden.

“He left you for another guy?!”

“N-not like that...” his hyung answers looking at floor

“Then what? Where is he?!”

“…They’re in the VIP room upstairs—” he doesn’t let his hyung finish as he goes to the VIP room.

“D-Dong—Ya! Baekho!!!! Baekho!!!!!” He can hear his hyung call after him from the bar. Well he doesn’t care. How dare this Ren guy leave his hyung to search for his friend and be with another guy?!

Sure his hyung is really dorky and might be an “ahjae” or lame with his jokes but his hyung is the most kind-hearted person in this world and seriously? The guy has the guts to do this, right now? In their club? Hell. Just wait till I see that _Mr. Fluffy Rabbit_ , I’ll make sure that he’ll be unfluffy after I deal with him.

**~**

“He was just there Ong… he said he’ll just go to the restroom to pee then he was gone… he never came back….my poor baby…” he looks at the crying Ren dumbfounded.

He looks at the other guy who seems to be named ‘ _Ong_ ’ and the guy just gives him a nod as he comforts a crying Ren who looks like he lost a kid or maybe he did—if JR is really his kid.

“My poor baby…he’s probably crying right now looking for his mommy…” Ren says as he sobs. Wow another overly dramatic drunk guy here. Great.

Now he has to look for a missing baby/guy, take care of his drunk hyung, and now his hyung’s overly dramatic drunk boyfriend. Just great. Oh, and whatever shit Hwang Minhyun is doing right now too. Great.

“Baek—” Aron says

“Aronie? Did you find our baby?”

“Uh…Ren…I’m sorry I haven’t…but I found Baekho! Here, look!” His hyung says as he shoves him inside the room which only make Ren bawl more.

“Nice job hyung.” he says to his hyung who looks ashamed now as he walk towards his bawling boyfriend. The Ong guy stands to give Aron his spot to console Ren of their missing “ _baby_ ”

“Uh, sorry for this...” Ong guy stands next to him as they look at the couple “I think Mi—I mean Ren is drunk and he’s just worried for J…R, he’s not always like this… well he actually is at times, but not the usual crying and stuff.” Ong says with a shrug.

“Yeah…I figured… how long was the guy missing anyway?”

“An hour…” He sees Ong guy frown “Don’t exactly know… I just saw Ren in the restroom looking for JR, I didn’t even know they’re here.”

“You know them?”

“Ah. We’re… friends… known them since High School, I’m Seongwu by the way...”

“So you and Ren aren’t uhm? Aren’t like a thing or something?”

“HELL NO.” Seongwu says with a laugh

“Good.”

“Why? Worried for your brother?”

“Ha ha. Not really.” he says as he looks at the couple. Ren somehow calmed down now and Aron just keeps on patting the guy on his back murmuring that ‘ _their kid_ ’ will be okay.

Well, that escalated quickly.

“Nah, Ren is just a friend more like brother, Jong…I mean JR…Is my—”

“Excuse me, Sir Aron?” Sungsoo, one of the security guys says at the door.

“Is it ready?” Aron asks.

“Yes Sir, we’ve compiled the videos from the time that you’ve told us to check into.”

“Okay thanks, Baekho go with him, and I’ll follow you in bit.” his hyung says with authority. Guess he still has his shit together. Okay 1 drunk hyung gone from his list, only 1 missing guy, 1 overly dramatic drunk bf and whatever shit Minhyun is on right now.

 ~

They’ve been on the CCTV for 30 mins, still no sign of JR going in or leaving the restroom, they can’t even find him in the dance floor because there’s too many people and to check it one by one would probably take them another hour or so, so he checks the footage from the sitting area instead.

“Did you guys find him?” Aron says as he enters the room.

“No, I’ve doubled check the video at the entrance of the restroom and can’t find him. I don’t think he went to restroom either.”

“Weird, I remember he told us that he’s just gonna go to the restroom when you left us in the dance floor...”

“And that’s like 2 hours ago hyung?” he calculates the time that he left them, how long he was sitting in their table, then finally going to the bar. “I left you guys like an hour and half already before you found me on the bar, so you didn’t even notice that he was missing for like what—an hour?!” He calculates again in the air remembering the time he went to the bar and yes, he’s right so JR was missing for 2 hours already. Nice. JR would be so happy that his parents looks out for him so much.

“Uh. You see Dongho, _when you’re in love and having fun everything just stops, like time stops and you forgot about everything else other than the person in front of you_ , so—”

“I don’t think I really need to hear your _‘talk’_ on how in love you are right now, and ‘your kid’ is really lucky to have such amazing parents.”

“Ouch. Look—I’ve only been his father for like the last hour so you can’t blame me—:

“Yeah sure.” He says as he looks at the monitor.

Aron rolls his eyes at him as he watches the recordings seriously this time, maybe trying to make up for being a bad dad to ‘t _heir missing kid_ ’. Aron pauses the recording and asks the security guy to zoom it in as he squints on the monitor.

“Is that? Can you make a clearer picture of this Sungsoo?” The security guy just nods at his boss doing his best to fix the blurry picture of a guy walking through the tables in the club

“What?” He nudges his hyung as he looks at the picture and can’t—wait, the guy’s body is familiar like—

“Minhyun?” His hyung continues for him. Sungsoo fixes the blurry picture and yes, it’s definitely Hwang Minhyun who looks like he’s—

“Is he carrying someone?” Aron says again

“I-I think so. Sungsoo, can you play this recording again? Find the next, and check the time too.”

“Yes sir.” Sungsoo plays the recording and checks the other CCTV recordings to follow where Minhyun went carrying someone. The recording ends in front of the club, Minhyun carrying a guy that they don’t know who and _Kang Daniel_ his cousin, helping Minhyun to get in the cab.

_Nice one Daniel, just wait til I get down to the bar._

“And here I was, thinking that I was a bad parent for not taking care of my missing son, while you on the other hand left the baby I asked you to take care of toni—”

“I looked for him hyung! I was about to follow Daniel to the kitchen when you showed in the ba—” he gets interrupted by Aron’s phone that’s screaming:

‘ _BABY, I CAN GIVE YOU GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD GOOD LOVE’_

Nice. Very appropriate. He rolls his eyes and replays the footage of Minhyun—he can’t still see who the asshat is carrying.

“Yes love?” Aron answers his phone with a smile. Must be Ren. He guesses. He laughs remembering his hyung’s ringtone, which is very Kwak Aron and somehow it suits them so well too. He looks at Aron who now has his brows furrowed and a worried look on his face.

“Good…..okay yes…we’ll go there now.” Aron sighs and he hangs up.

“So?”

“Ren talked to JR…”

“Good then?”

“Ren’s also very mad right now.”

“…..so?”

“….you haven’t seen him mad right?”

“How would I? I’ve only met him tonight.”

“Well just imagine hell breaking loose, that’s him when he gets mad.”

“Stop being overly dramatic hyung, or you might turn into Minhyun.”

“I’m not kidding Dongho, he’s the scariest when he’s mad, you should’ve seen him when I had to cancel our date because of a meeting.”

“Sure.” Aron just shakes his head as he stands up “let’s go, let’s not keep the demon waiting.”

“So now, you call him a demon?”

“Just fucking stand up and come with me, I need you there, he might not go all out if you’re at least there with me.”

“Fine.”

 

 ~ ** _Epilogue~_**

 

**“ABOUT TIME YOU ANSWERED! KIM FUCKING JONGHYUN!!!!!!”**

**_“Uhm I’m sorry he’s—”_** He hears weird noises in the background that seems oddly familiar to him.

**_“Jonghyunnie, no please don’t...”_** the stranger says to Jonghyunnie. What the fuck?!    Jonghyunnie?! The stranger knows his baby’s real name?!

**“WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!”** he asks the stranger.

**_“I’m—”_** he hears more shuffling noises in the background. ** _“Jonghyunnie wanths this wemove!!! Wemove!!! Wemoooooooove!!!!”_**

HOLY FUCK KIM JONGHYUN IS AT IT AGAIN. He’s getting worried for the stranger now—drunk Jonghyun is _very bad bad bad news_ and _a real headache._ If Minki’s a _crying-overly-dramatic-mess_ , Jonghyun his _angel (and a weeb) of a best friend_ , is a _baby_ , like literally like _a spoiled ass 3-year old kid_ who would throw tantrums on anything that his 3-year-old mind can and the worst part is—he’ll remove every piece of shirt or fabric that he can see or comes in contact to.

**“…What is happening there?”** he asks more concerned for the stranger now than his best friend.

**_“Look—I’m very sorry whoever you are, I know—”_** he hears more shuffling in the background **_“Angwel wemove!!! Jonghyunnie doesnht want this!!!!”_** and more whining and sighing from them.

**_“Jong, please calm down…please…”_** he hears the stranger begs Jonghyun **_“NO!!!!JONGHYUNNIE WANTS THIS WEMOVE NOW!!!!! WEMOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!”_**

**_“Okay, I’ll remove it, so calm down okay? Your friend is on the line...”_** he hears the stranger say to Jonghyun. **_“Yay!!! Angwell No mowe shirt!!!!_**

He sighs he should be proud of his best friend, right? The guy needs to get laid to be honest and after all the things he did just to get Jonghyun to go on a date which was hard—because there aren’t a lot of guys that deserve his _precious angel (and a weeb) of a best friend_ , he might just get that tonight—even without his help.

He sighs again as he waits for the stranger to talk to him. He’s happy that at least it looks like his best friend is safe but at the same time he also wants to kill him for making him worry and cry so much.

**_“Hello? Are you still there?”_** the stranger asks.

**“Yes, I’m still here.”**

**_“Look I’m sorry, you must’ve been so worried for your friend, but here, Jonghyun-ah.”_ **

**_“Whyyyyyyyy”_** he hears Jonghyun whine on the other end again. **_“Your friend is on the phone.”_**

**_“Minkwi?”_** he can hear the stranger chuckle on his best friend, maybe he shouldn’t worry much after all. **_“Hewow?”_**

**“Jonghyun-ah…”** he says to his best friend

**_“Minkwi!!”_ **

**“Yes yes it’s me, Minki...”**

**_“Jonghyunnie is with Angwel wight now, bye-bye!”_ **

**“Jong? Jonghyun? Kim Jonghyun?! Yah!!!!”**  He checks his phone and yes just like that--KIM FUCKING JONGHYUN HANGED UP ON HIM.

Because of his _ANGEL._

_Wait til I get my hands on you Kim Jonghyun._

_I swear you’re gonna regret hanging up on me._

_Like how you’ll regret bringing home those mangos (read: manga) that Lucky scratched._

_Wait for me, Jonghyun-ah_

_Your so-called demon of a best friend will come for you._

 


	7. 5 Large order of Lies, with pudding and pearls, please

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wee hours and the morning after

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> songs from Shawn Mendes' Fallin' All in You, Running Low, Perfectly Wrong, Like to be You, Mutual

 

**_“You are bringing out a different kind of me,_ **

**_there's no safety net that's underneath._ **

**_I'm free, falling all in you.”_ **

**-Shawn Mendes | _Fallin’ All in You_**

 

 

_“Jonghyunnie…Jonghyunnie…”_

_“Sshhh…Sleep now my love.”_ _He hums as he gently pats him to sleep_

 

_Hours... minutes… must’ve passed…_

_He doesn’t know._

_Time doesn’t matter much as he looks at the guy next to him._

_Sleeping so soundly…_

_Like he’s home…_

_He smiles as he caresses his cheek_

 

_“Don’t be a stranger in the morning Jonghyun-ah...” He says with a sad smile._

_After all, this is all too good to be true._

  

He checks the clock on his side table and was surprised to find out that it was only 3 am and yet he feels like he already went through a whole day just taking care of _his Jonghyunnie._ He wasn’t regretting bringing the guy home, he was happy to be honest, more than happy to be exact--but his Jonghyunnie is a lot to handle, the guy literally threw tantrums every now and then. Thank God he’s cute while doing that but still, taking care of him drained him, literally drained him of everything. He gently leaves the bed to take care of the mess that his Jonghyunnie made and their clothes and shoes that became casualties of Jonghyun’s not so good moment that remains unwashed in the bathroom. He sighs as he looks at his bedroom, their shirts scattered, his precious OPTIMUS PRIME is now resting below his dusty console (I’m very sorry Optimus Prime ssi…Please forgive my Jonghyunnie for doing this to you…) his novels… oh God… he’s precious novels scattered on the floor with some pages torn... he sighs again… and looks at his precious Jonghyunnie…

“Let’s meet sober next time Jonghyun-ah…”

Okay time to start cleaning up. He starts on _Optimus Prime-ssi_ , who needs his urgent care—

 

**_♪♪ Where you at...where you at.... where you at...where you at..._ **

**_WHERE YOU ATTTTTTTT!!!! ♪♪_ **

_Fuck_. He almost drops Optimus Prime. He panicky looks around the room to look for Jonghyun’s phone.

 

**_♪♪ Where you at...where you at...where you at...where you at..._ **

**_WHERE YOU ATTTTTTTT!!!! ♪♪_ **

****

He sees Jonghyun squirm on the bed. _Oh God no. please don’t wake up my love, I need you sleeping right now please._ He looks around the bedroom again checking every surface for the missing phone. _Where the hell is Jonghyun’s phone?!_ He knows he placed it on the desk earlier. He looks down under the bed and thank heavens its right there. Whoever the hell is this caller is—if he ever wakes up his Jonghyunnie, he’s sure to make him feel his wrath—he grabs the phone underneath the bed.

 

**_♪♪ Where you at...where you at...where you at...where you at..._ **

**_WHERE YOU ATTTTTTTT!!!! ♪♪_ **

****

****

_“Nowsyyyyy… so nowsyy…”_ Oh shit.  He quickly stands to check on Jonghyun and thankfully his baby is somehow still sleeping—he gently pats Jonghyunnie on the back again just to make sure he won’t wake up as he answers the call.

**_“-lo? Jong?”_** A male’s voice says through the receiver.   _Who the hell is this guy calling his Jonghyunnie at 3 in the morning?!_ He checks the name of the _caller_ **_My Greek Seal <3_** _—_ so the guy calling his Jonghyunnie at 3 am is a guy named _My Greek Seal with a fucking heart?!_ Nice. Real nice. He looks at his Jonghyunnie and sighs.

 

**_“Jong? Are you there?”_**  The guy on the line asks

**“No. But I’m here.”** He answers with authority

**_“Who’s this?!”_ **

**“His _BOYFRIEND_.”** He makes sure that he puts emphasis on the _Boyfriend_ part.

**_“Excuse me?!”_ **

**“You heard me.”**

**_“I did. Where’s Jonghyun?!”_**  The guy’s voice is oddly familiar, but he doesn’t care why should he anyway? Especially with a contact name like that.

**“He’s sleeping. Right now. Next to me. Without clothes.”** Okay—he really didn’t need to say that but who the fuck cares? _His Jonghyun only belongs to him_ , and no other guy, especially an _My-Greek-Seal-with-a- <3_ as his contact name.

**_“Yeah—sure. Could you wake him up? I need to talk to him right now.”_ **

**“How about I don’t?”** He says sarcastically and sternly—asserting whatever _authority_ he has— _well he has some authority over his Jonghyunnine right?_ And if he doesn’t well—he can just make sure that he’ll have—in the future.

**_“Look, man, I don’t know you but—”_** _He_ hears the other lose his patience with him, and he doesn’t care.

**“And you don’t need to. Bye.”** And just like that he hangs up with _My-Greek-Seal-with-a- <3 _and before he can even stop himself (which he wasn’t even planning on doing) he blocks My-Greek-Seal-with-a-<3 on Jonghyun’s phone and dials his number and saves it as _“My Angel <3”._

 

Does he feel bad?

No. he’s used to being an “ass” anyway.

 

Does he regret doing it?

Hell no. he did great. He should be even given a standing ovation for it.

 

Does he feel petty?

Hell… _yes_.

 

He lies down next to _his Jonghyun_

His fingers caressing the sleeping boy’s face

 

_I’ll be petty, a hundred times even, for you._

 

 

**_“And I know you'll find someone who_** **_gives you the time I didn't give to you;_**

**_I'm running low, I'm sorry but I have to go.”_ **

**-Shawn Mendes | _Running Low_**

 

 

“…aaaaaand that’s what happened hyung!” his cousin says with his arms outstretched like a “tada!”

“So you’re saying, Minhyun brought home a drunk guy?”

“More like a guy who is like a _‘baby’_ —who’s _very adorable_ hyung! You should’ve seen him!!!” Daniel adds gushing on the _‘very adorable’_ drunk guy his brother brought home to their _fucking house._ As if the stranger being _‘very adorable’_ would make whatever Minhyun’s doing/done reasonable.

“For what? So I can make pancakes for him in the morning?”

“You won’t resist him anyway! So…uh. I did what you asked…”

“I asked you to do a lot of stuff Niel—and you didn’t do a single one of them.” He tells the other with an exhausted voice.

“I did one okay? So just listen.” He nods, already tired and whatever Daniel going to say anyway… can’t top whatever that _asshat brother of his_ did… _right?_

“He’s….” Daniel looks at him asking him if he can continue—he knows where’s this going, and he’s just thankful that Niel—actually did something he asked—so he nods “He’s doing okay… he got the scholarship.”

“Good.” He answers indifferently—as if that’s even… as if he could be.

“You should tell him the truth hyung, if he finds out that—” _And again with this talk._  He shakes his head—stopping his cousin from finishing the words that he’d already heard a hundred times.

“You made sure that he won’t right?”

“Ofcourse…but still hyung—”

“Then that’s all that matters Niel-ah. Thanks, you worked hard.” He finishes his drink, not wanting to stay any longer. He knows where this talk will lead to—and just like the countless times that Niel tried to talked him about it—his answer will be the same.

“Hyung you can’t always—” He grabs his phone from the table and checks his things. He looks at his cousin and smiles.

“I can Niel. I’m leaving—don’t forget to check everything before you leave okay?”

“Sure hyung, because that’s my job as a _bartender_.” His cousin says sarcastically.

He stands and leaves.

_Walking away,_

_Like he always do._

_Because he should,_

_Because that’s the only thing can do._

 

He’s finally out of the club, waiting for his driver.

He looks at the night sky

Only to be reminded of the past.

 

_Countless star-gazing dates_

_Their favorite song playing_

 

**_I’m sorry._ **

_That’s all he can say._

 

 

**_“You're perfectly wrong for me,_** **_all the stars in the sky could see…_**

**_Why you're perfectly wrong for me.”_ **

**-Shawn Mendes | _Perfectly Wrong_**

 

The driver stops the car in front of the apartment building.

“Thank you for tonight, Aron…and I’m sorry for earlier…I’m not usually—”

“Nah, It’s okay, I’ll get worried too if were you… But… you gonna be okay all alone there? I can accompany you…if you want…”

“No, it’s okay. Thank you.”

“Are you sure?” Aron asks with a concern look

“Yup. Goodnight Aron.” He kisses him on the cheek

“Goodnight Ren” Aron kisses him back

 

He goes out of the car, and waves his goodbye to Aron…

Aron waves back to him as the car starts moving

He stays there until the car turns right on the alley

_He sighs_

 

_I’m sorry Aron…_

_Maybe next time?_

 

He starts walking his way to the building two blocks away.

_Heading home._

 

 

**_“Tell me what's inside of your head_** ,

**_No matter what you say I won't love you less.”_ **

**-Shawn Mendes | _Like to be You_**

****

 

He looks at the window and sighs.

“Same routine Sir Aron?”

“Yes Sungsoo.”

The car turns right and turns right again and goes straight to the back of the building two-blocks away from where they dropped off Ren

 

“Wait for me here Sungsoo.”

“Yes sir.” The driver says with a salute like he’s in the army or something

He opens the car door and walks in the dark alley

Making sure no one could see him

 

He sees the bench under the tree that he calls his _“hide-out”_

 

_Almost there…_

 

He reaches the bench, but this time he doesn’t sit.

He just stands, still hidden under the tree, Cannot be seen.

 

He sees his love, walking slowly

Shoulders hunched, looking down,

In deep thought…

 

_You might trip if you keep doing that Minki-yah…_

He whispers

 

His love just keeps walking,

Still to engross in whatever’s on his mind…

Not noticing that he already passed by the entrance to his building.

 

_Minki…you passed by the entrance now…_

 His love suddenly stops walking,

Looks at his surrounding and sighs…

 

Realizing that he missed the entrance,

He turns around and starts walking to the entrance of the building…

 Going in…

 

**_Goodnight Minki._ **

He says as he walks back to the car

 

 

 

**_“This inconsistency_** , **_what does it mean?_**

**_You got me questioning_** **_the way you act and take it back,_**

**_Do I mean anything?_** **_Just tell me honestly.”_**

**-Shawn Mendes | _Mutual_**

 

 

 “…Yeah. I’m Kim Jonghyun.”

Baekho coughs as he choked on his coffee. _Is his real name too much for the guy?_ He passes Baekho a glass of water and some tissues. Baekho gives him a nod of thank you as he gulps the water down.

“Are you okay?”

“Ye-yeah I’m fine—sorry for that…” Baekho says clearing his throat

“You sure?”

“Yeah…It’s just…uh…”

“Just?”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Are…are you perhaps from the _Kim Medical group_?”

This time, it’s his time to choke on his coffee, he coughs and takes the glass of water Baekho’s offering him and downs it.

“…Sorry for that…But no.” he answers. Baekho looks at him like he wants to ask more questions but doesn’t know if he should or should not.

**_♪♪ I was so happy until now_** , **_I am able to embrace the sadness,_**

**_You taught me what happiness is… ♪♪_ **

 “Sorry, let me just.” Baekho says as he answers the call

“Sure.”

“Hyung-what?” He hears the other say “I’m at the coffee shop in our street why?” Baekho nods—forgetting that the caller wouldn’t see it—he chuckles. “Okay, be there in 10.” Baekho lets out a deep breathe.

“Everything okay?” he asks the other who looks so tired—as if he’s carrying the world in his shoulders.  

“Yeah. Min’s awake.” Baekho tells him—looking at him, trying to read his reaction again.

“That’s good…” He says as he sips on his coffee.

“You’re not coming with me?”

“No—I’d rather not, sorry.” He tells him, offering an apologetic smile to the other. Baekho sighs again as he stands up, putting his wallet on the back of his pocket.

“See you again soon?”

“Yeah. I have to give you back your things anyway…”

“Oh right. Here’s my number.”

“Thanks, I’ll text you when…I cleaned it…”

“No worries” Baekho smiles at him before leaving.

 

He puts his face on his hands and groans. _Seriously, what happened to him last night?_ He can’t remember anything—He can’t even remember the guy that he slept with! All he remembers was him sitting in their table,drinking tea—Not tea… I guess. He groans again.

**_♪♪ Where you at…where you at…_** **_where you at…where you at…_**

**_WHERE YOU ATTTTTTTT!!!!_ ** **♪♪**

He answers the call without checking the caller, it’s probably Choi demon anyway.

 

**_“YAH KIM JONGHYUN!!!!”_ **

“Hi Minki.” He says too tired to even stop his best friend’s screaming at him.

**_“DON’T YOU ‘HI MINKI’ ME!!!! I GOT A CALL FROM SEUNGCHEOL AND HE SAID YOU’RE WITH A GUY IN ACAFE?! WHAT THE HELL?! YOU HANGED UP ON ME, DIDN’T CALL AND YOU WERE WITH A FUCK—”_ **

He sighs—well he should just tell him now. “I was with Baekho.”

**_“WHAT THE FUCK?!”_** Yes Minki—my sentiments exactly, _what the fuck. What the fucking fuck._ “I know.” He looks at the empty chair beside him and he sighs again.

**_“Did you guys? Wait that’s impossible, we were together last night.”_ **

“I’ll explain later…” Like he even knows what to explain—he doesn’t even remember a single thing that happened.

**_“YOU BETTER DO. And you better head home now, Ong’s here.”_ **

‘“What?” _Shit. Things just really— **“ONG’S HERE.”**_

“I heard you Minki, but why is he there?” He asks impatiently

**_“Is that Jong?”_** he hears Seongwu’s voice in the background **_“Can I…Can I talk to him… please Minki?”_**  He hears Minki sigh on the receiver—probably torn on what he should do.

**“** _Just give him the phone Minki.”_ He sighs. There’s nothing he can do anyway. “ ** _Here.”_** he hears Minki say to Seongwu.

**_“Hey…”_** _Seongwu says._

“ _Hey you...”_ _He answers back with a smile_.

 


	8. Is this Dejavu?I need some tYlenoL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minhyun wakes up only to find out that there'll be no breakfast in bed.

 

**_“My heart aches so much that it’s beautiful._ **

**_I am made and broken down by you.”_ **

**-NU’EST W** **| _Dejavu_**

 

The morning sun stirs him awake.

The sunlight makes his room feel warm amidst the cool air coming from his AC. _Just perfect_ he thinks as he snuggles in his blankets. He smiles with eyes still closed, replaying all the events that happened last night--enjoying every precious memory that they shared.

_His precious Jonghyunnie who changed his life overnight._

He sighs happily feeling excited on what will happen to them today, he feels nervous to be honest… he doesn’t know how Jonghyun will act towards him today--after all, he’ll be sober this time.

 

_Will he be adorable like last night?_

_Or will he be cold to me?_

_Will he remember everything?_

_Will he thank me for it?_

_Or will he think I’m just a creepy stranger for bringing him home?_

 

_…….Will he like me?_

 

He sighs again.

_I should just start preparing breakfast now while he’s still sleeping..._

_What would he like? Pancakes? Bacon, eggs and toast? Or hangover soup?_

_I should just prepare it all… he’ll like at least one of them right?_

He hums feeling excitedly just imagining his Jonghyunnie eating all the food that he’ll prepare. His hands move gently on Jonghyunnie’s side of the bed, wanting to feel his Jonghyunnie’s warmth…

_….but all he could feel is the cold empty space._

He opens his eyes to check that maybe his hand is just on the wrong place--but they aren’t.

_There’s no Jonghyun in bed._

He sits abruptly making him feel dizzy--scanning his room and listens carefully for noises, but all he can hear is the sound of the AC and the birds chirping outside. His room is the same, a little messy because of last night, and no Jonghyun playing with his Optimus Prime on the floor. He stands to check his bathroom, maybe Jonghyunnie’s there, but again there’s no one. He goes outside feeling anxious.

_Jonghyunnie must have been in the kitchen, right? He must’ve been hungry..._

Again his Jonghyunnie’s not there

He panicky checks every room, starting with the studio-none (thank heavens or Dongho will kill him if Jonghyunnie made a mess there), then he goes to Dongho’s room, which is empty _. He didn’t go home? But that’s not important now, need to find Jonghyun…_ he opens the last room that he didn’t check, worried, praying that he won’t find anyone else other than his hyung in the room. He breathes out loudly waking up Noah who’s now barking at him aggressively for waking him from his slumber. He closes the door carefully and looks around the living room to the kitchen, and there’s none.

_He’s…he’s really…gone_

His knees give in and he falls on the floor

**_Andwaeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!_ **

 

 

**** **_“I don’t care if I become your shadow,_**

**_I’m yours, I need you.”_ **

**-NU’EST W** **| _Dejavu_**

He’s sitting on the grass.

He doesn’t even know why and where he is, he just knows that he’s very happy…

_….and he’s not alone._

 

He looks at the ethereal guy in front of him,

_Milky white skin,_

_Beautiful enchanting eyes,_

_Heart shaped lips **.**_

The guy has a flower crown on his head and the guy just kept smiling at him.

 

_“Aron…”_ ethereal guy says gently

“You know me?” he asks

_“Of course. Don’t you remember me?”_  Ethereal guy says with a sad smile. He looks at ethereal guy thoroughly and smiles.

 

_How could he even forget him?_

_He is after all his paradise._

 

“My Minki...” He tells him, as he caress his cheeks—Minki leans into his palm and smiles at him.

_“How could you forget my name Aron-ah?”_ Minki asks him with his signature devilish scoff.

“Can you blame me? You look so ethereal.” He says teasing the other. Minki smiles and moves _closer to him._

 

_Their faces only inches apart now…_

_He can feel Minki’s warmth as he leans down…_

 

_“Well, I can’t blame you for that.” The other says with a smirk._

“Oh—Shut up.” _He closes the gap. he can feel Minki’s—_ “Oomph!”

 

_WHAT THE HECK?_ He looks at his chest and there’s Noah, whining—as always.

He was so close— _so so close—yet_ sadly it was only a dream. He sighs as he hears Noah whine again. He pats Noah’s head to calm down his adorable yet mischievous son.

“Noah-yah why?”  Noah just whines and snuggles on his palm. “You know you can’t always wake up daddy like that Noah-yah, you’re getting big now—and daddy might die because of your weight.” Noah stares at him with his puppy big eyes and snuggles

“You understand right No—”

**_“Andwaeeeeeeee my Jonghyunnie, Jonghyunnieee...”_** WHAT THE HECK. Was that Minhyun?? **_“JONGHYUN-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”_** _OKAY. DEFINITELY HWANG MINHYUN. HE’S THE ONLY ONE WHO COULD BE THIS DRAMATIC IN THE MORNING_. Noah snuggles more in his chest getting scared by the screaming in the living room.

It’s a Saturday, can’t he just sleep in? He was so tired last night. He was looking for his _“missing son”_ , had to check on the club—though to be honest Daniel did more on that—and _Ren…his Ren…_ everything that’s going with him and Ren…

He doesn’t even know where to start to be honest.

**_“Jonghyunnieee… You… Jonghyunnie… My Jonghyunnie… Jonghyunniee...”_**  He sighs. _I guess it’s time for me to deal with the baby again._

“Noah-yah, time to get up and deal with your uncle.” Noah answers him with a whine. “I feel you son, but we have no choice. I think your uncle Dongho won’t wake up even with Minhyun’s screaming.” He sighs as he carries Noah to the living room.

He regretted not staying in bed. If Minhyun’s overdramatic episode over his vacuum before topped the list of _Minhyun-Overdramatic-Episodes_ , this one definitely beats it. His brother….is sitting on the floor with his arms embracing his knees mumbling ‘Jonghyun’ over and over again while rocking his body…he feels goosebumps on how creepy Minhyun looks like right now… _this is Horror movie came to life._ He stares at his brother whose doing his mantra thingy and his brother…looks so…well he looks like shit-literally, hair is in a fucking disheveled mess, eyes are so red from crying…And his face… looks like someone left him to starve for days that even his “Godly-Given-Visuals” doesn’t look that “Godly” anymore but more like he’s possessed.

“Minhyun-ah?” no answer “Min?” still no answer.

“Minhyunnie…?” Minhyun just keeps rocking back and forth with more force than necessary which gets creepier and creepier especially when Minhyun keep saying his mantra over and over again.

I give up this is the creepiest shit, their brute princess should deal with this instead. He goes to Dongho’s room to wake the sleeping princess up—only to see an empty room.

_The heck?_ It’s weird if he’s up now he’s not even a morning person. He goes to the studio in the next room and the princess wasn’t there, too. He went home right? Yeah, definitely he even stopped me on checking on Min’s room last night. So where the heck is he? He goes back to his creepy brother as he calls Dongho on his phone and thanked heavens the princess actually answers the call.

 

**_“Hyung, what?”_ **

“Wow. Hi too my dear brother, WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU.”

**_“I’m at the coffee shop in our street why?”_ **

“YOU NEED TO GO HOME NOW—LIKE RIGHT NOW—MINHYUN’S FUCKING ACTING CREEPY LIKE REAL CREEPY AND ITS SCARING THE SHIT OUT OF ME!”

**_“Okay, be there in 10.”_ **

“RUN IF YOU NEED TO—PLEASE. I NEED YOU HERE, AND I DON’T I CAN HANDLE THIS CREEPY FOX ANYMORE—HELLO? HELLOOOO?!” Dongho hanged up on him without even letting him finish— _NICE_.

What the hell is he even doing in the coffee shop this early? Usually their princess would still be asleep at this time and would only wake up after lunch. Is he with the _“LOML”?_

_Nah. Impossible._

Their princess’ wouldn’t even wake up early to meet his _“LOML”_ unless his parents’ wants him too-and even his parents’ wouldn’t ask Dongho that…because they know that Dongho wouldn’t go for a morning date anyway…so is it? It can’t be right? knowing Dongho…after all the shit he had to go through to stop himself from going back to his…he sighs… he remembers how Dongho looks so wrecked during that time…and he still feels guilty on how they can’t do anything for them…and the only thing they could do is too watch Dongho look lifeless everyday…like a zombie…

_Life is really unfair at times…to be honest…_ he sighs again

**_“Jonghyun-ah…Jonghyun-ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...”_** _Oops._ He forgot about his creepy brother. Who the hell is this Jonghyun anyway? Dongho really shouldn’t have stopped him from checking on Minhyun’s room last night. Maybe this creepy-episode of their beloved overdramatic brother wouldn’t happen if Dongho just allowed him to check the room and the guy Minhyun took home.

**“ _Jonghyun-ah…you…you left me…Jonghyun-ah whyyyyy...”_** Minhyun starts bawling again. He breathes out. _Okay Kwak Youngmin, you can do this. You’re not a scaredy cat. He’s Minhyun-your brother, though he is really creepy and scaring the shit out of you but he is still your brother—Get it together._

**_“My Jonghyunnieeeeeeeeee...”_ **

“Minhyun-ah…” Creepy Minhyun looks at him for the first time-and he wished Minhyun didn’t because he looks creepier now than earlier and the way Minhyun looks at him is sca— ** _“Hyung… My Jonghyun…My Jonghyunnie…he left…me...”_**

“I…. noticed.” Okay maybe he shouldn’t have said that because Minhyun, if Minhyun was scaring the shit out of him earlier—the Minhyun now looks like he’s gonna kill him- _literally._

**_“What did you say hyung?”_** Creepy Minhyun asks with the creepiest smile.

“Min…Look-I…Hyungie-This hyung _—_ ” he points at himself panicky.

**_“That’s not what you said earlier Hyung.”_** Minhyun says as he approaches him

“Min…look I’m sorry-I’ll find that Jonghyun and make sure that he’ll pay for leaving you—”

**_“Did you just say that you’re gonna hurt my Jonghyunnie, hyung?”_ **

“I…I didn’t mean it like that Minhyunnie-this this hyung—”

**_“No you clearly mean it. You’re gonna hurt my Jonghyunnie.”_** Minhyun is inches away from him now.

If there’ s someone who’ll be this close to him he doesn’t want it to be Minhyun _—_ or anyone else other than _Ren—OKAY EARTH TO ARON HE NEEDS TO SAVE HIMSELF FIRST FROM HIS CREEPY POSSESSED BROTHER._

**_“NO ONE EVER TOUCHES MY JONGHYUNNIE HYUNG”_ **

“Min-I...I won’t-Look I’m—” He can’t even finish what he’s going to say.

I guess it’s the end of him now, right? All because of a certain Jonghyun and his big mouth.

 

_Sayonara world,_

_Tell Ren that I love him_

_And Please feed my son Noah—God he’s only 6 months old._

 

 

**_“Closing my eyes to the ruined memories_ **

**_We’re returning to the end that’s been decided_ **

**_Captured by fate; I remain alone in longing.”_ **

**-NU’EST W** **| _Dejavu_**

 

As soon as he steps out from the elevator he can hear Noah’s aggressive barking coming from their place. Noah rarely gets that aggressive… not unless? It couldn’t be right? He opens the door in a rush not even removing his shoes only to see **—WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?**

Minhyun is pinning their hyung on the floor with a growl _? A GROWL SERIOUSLY?!_ And Noah…the only normal one is biting and pulling Minhyun’s shirt while their hyung just cries on floor like he can’t push Minhyun away from him—his hyung can actually do that just a kick to Minhyun’s sensitive part would have save him from his misery—but of course their makhyung didn’t think of that. He sighs loud.

_“Dongho….save…me…”_ his hyung cries out which only made Minhyun growl harder

“The fuck Minhyun? You really went insane?” Minhyun looks at him with a deadly stare like challenging him to try and do something-not that he’s scared because he can just push Minhyun in an instant anyway-but something’s really weird with Minhyun…like…he has this dark aura on him? Did he really turned crazy now?

_“_ He is insane Dongho now please save me or I’m gonna die…I’m still a virgin—I can’t die yet—I haven’t even reached second base with Ren, Noah’s only 6 months, and I just opened a club, and I can’t die a vir—”

“Stop being overly dramatic too hyung.” he says as he pulls Minhyun off from their hyung, which took more effort than he thought _—_ is Minhyun somehow working out now? Nah. Can’t be, they’ve been busy with their exams to have time for that.

“I’m not! You didn’t witness how possessed he is! Just look at him!!” Aron says pointing at the “ _possessed Minhyun_ ” who’s staying still on the floor—after he threw him there in a _very careful_ and _gentle way_ of his.

“Sure hyung. So care to tell me what actually happened?”

“That-that guy was suddenly screaming-wailing-crying whatever here and scared the shit out of Noah and me!” his hyung says with his scared tone while hugging Noah—like Noah is his lifeline.

“What’s new with that? He’s usually like that hyung.”

_“_ You don’t understand Dongho-ya! Look at him!!” and maybe his hyung is right. Minhyun’s really…weird? Minhyun’s rocking his body staring into space…saying something he can’t understand…

_Did he hit his head when he woke up? What the fuck is wrong with this guy?_

“What the hell is wrong with him?”

_“_ I have no idea he’s been like that for the last hour, I-I think we should call a priest—” He looks at his brother _—_ who look so frightened “Are you fucking serious hyung?”

“Just look at him!!!! _He’s fucking possessed!!!!!!!_ ” The other says screaming and pointing at the ‘ _possessed’_ brother of theirs. He breathes out and pats his brother on the back.

“Calm down hyung. What the hell is he saying?”

_“Jonghyun! Jonghyunnie!!! Jonghyun-ah! He’s been saying that shit for last couple of—”_ and before even their hyung can finish, Minhyun glares at them with that creepy glare of his. **_“DID YOU SAY SOMETHING BAD AGAIN TO MY JONGHYUNNIE HYUNG?”_**

“I-I didn’t!!!” their hyung says as he hides on his back. He looks back and forth between Aron and Minhyun and shakes his head _—of course, why didn’t he thought of that when that’s the only reason why Minhyun’s acting creepy weird and overdramatic._

“So all of this drama is because of JR?”

**_“YOU DARE CALL THIS A DRAMA?! MY JONHYUNNIE LEFT ME!!!!”_**  He scoffs at the other.

“Yes Minhyun. This is a drama. Anyway, hyung you better call your other half _—_ if _overdramatic_ guy is looking for his “ _Jonghyunnie_ ” then you better ask your Ren to convince your son to go here.” He orders their hyung.

_“What do you mean? My son is here.”_ Aron says offering Noah— _wow Jonghyun is really lucky to have a dad like Aron._ He sighs again. “Not your furry son, I mean, the missing one last night.”

It takes his hyung a few seconds—almost a minute to get it. _“…JR?”_

“Touché, congratulations on using your brain this morning hyung!” He says clapping on the other’s shoulders--proud of his ‘ _hard-work’._

“What? Wait—you mean JR is the guy that this possessed guy been wailing about?”

“Bingo! Again congrats for using your brain!” He answers mockingly.

“The heck Dongho—okay care to fucking explain? And you too Minhyun! You better listen and stop acting creepy there!!!!” Minhyun actually stops his creepy rocking stunt and sits like a normal person would do. He takes his place on the sofa, and the elder joins him.

“Are you ready for story time kids?” He tells the two waving his brows. Minhyun rolls his eyes at him and he smirks at the other. **_“JUST FUCKING GET TO IT.”_**

“Glad you’re back to being an ass Minhyun.” He says just to annoy the other—he looks at Aron hyung and smiles, the other glares at him to just continue “So your missing son JR is actually this ass brother of ours’ Jonghyunnie _—_ meaning the one that he’s caught carrying on the CCTV last night is JR/Jonghyun.”

_“I get that—I’m not that stupid Dongho. But, how did that happen Minhyun?”_ the elder says looking at the now calmed asshat.

“Well, since my baby-sitter left me, I went to the bar to get some cola—”

“If this is gonna take an hour, can I go to my room? Haven’t had enough slee—”

“RUDE. Anyway, since the princess can’t be bothered on my story on how I met my precious Jonghyunn—”

“Okay, TIME TO GO TO MY ROOM NOW BYE—” Their hyung huffs—probably lost his patience.

“CAN’T YOU ALL JUST! Please-our dear princess just listen, I need to ask you some things later, and you Hwang Creepy-continue but skip the part on all the drama. I’d rather not listen to it all day.” He sighs and sits down again. He glares at Minhyun to keep it short—because he really needs his sleep now.

“FINE. So I saw my precious Jonghyunnie on the edge of the dance floor, and I think he may be already drunk at that time. So I went to him, we danced, got close like really close, we started—”

“ONLY THE IMPORTANT PARTS PLEASE AND THANK YOU.” He reminds the asshat.

“Hmph. Fine. We kissed, he passed out on me and—”

“How romantic...” He interjects as he looks at his nails. He can feel Minhyun’s glare on him—like he cares. “Atleast better than yours—” okay that’s uncalled for. He glares at the other. “SHUT UP.”

Their hyung groans and glares at them again “CAN YOU BOTH FUCKING STOP.”

“He started it first!” He says pointing at the asshat.

“Wow bitch! You’re the one who started interrupting—” okay—Hwang Minhyun is really testing his patience—he walks to the other and glares at him “Did you just call me a bitch, asshole?!” The other smirks at him, not even fazed “YES I CALLED YOU A BITCH, YOU BITCH.”

“KIDS PLEASE! OKAY—NO ONE’S GONNA SAY ANYTHING UNLESS I SAID SO! Minhyun continue!” Their hyung says pulling him away from the other.

“Asshole.” He mumbles as he sits back on his throne. “Bitch” the asshat retorts back.

“STOP IT OR I’LL CALL SUJIN RIGHT NOW.” He looks at Minhyun and glares at him—the other nods, agreeing with him for their safety.

“KAY. So he passed out, brought him to Daniel, and while Niel and I are talking on what to do with him, he woke up and started acting cute!!! Like really cute hyung!!!!! You should’ve seen—”

“ONLY IMPORTANT DETAILS MINHYUN.” This time it’s their hyung who interrupted—thank God because he’d rather not hear Minhyun’s romantic story—even when Jonghyun’s actually kinda nice—but somehow… well… it’s hard to read the guy.

“But this is important hyung?”

“Fine. Let’s skip that one too. I’m guessing that you and Niel came up with the plan to bring him here instead?”

“Obviously.” He says bored of the obvious questions. Aron hits him on the head and looks at Minhyun again—opening and closing his mouth, like he wants to say something yet at the same time he doesn’t.

“And did something happen?” Their hyung asks and he chuckles— _of course. That’s one thing their hyung would be curious about—especially when—well, he’d rather not think about that._   

“What do you mean?” Minhyun asks confusedly looking at their hyung.

“Uhm…did? Did you guys? Like? You know? Do some?”

“Just ask him if they had sex hyung.” He says getting tired of their hyung going around when Minhyun wouldn’t get in unless it’s pointed out. The elder rolls his eyes at him and he smiles—sarcastically. “Thanks so much for stating the obvious Dongho. So did you?”

“Oh my God no!! Well—to be honest, I would—”

“I’D RATHER NOT KNOW THANKS.” He interrupts the other again and shakes his head—a bit too much, just to get the image out.

“FUCK YOU DONGHO.”

“I’d fuck myse—” Their hyung huffs to stop them again and they both sigh “ENOUGH. Now your turn. How did you know that Jonghyun is JR?”

“I saw him this morning.”

“You were awake in the morning?” Minhyun asks him surprised as if he’s not seating here in front of him. “What am I now then? An apparition?” He tells the other who gives him the finger in return.

“Can you please just stop bickering just until we finish this? PLEASE.”

“If Hwang ass would just stop being an ass—”

“If you stop being a bi—”

They didn’t notice Aron hyung taking out his phone—calling that one person who could control him—and their hyung as well. “Hello Sujin—” Aron hyung didn’t even get to finish his sentence as Minhyun takes his phone like he’s the flash or something.

“Did you just drop the call on Sujin noona?” He asks shocked—because that will mean more trouble and they’re doomed.

The other shakes his head but still checks on the phone “Don’t worry, hyung didn’t even call her.”

He breathes out—not even realizing that he’s holding it—but that’s Sujin noona, _The Sujin noona_ and any normal person who knows her would react the same. “Thank God or we might actually die…”

“I’ll really call her, if you two won’t stop acting like kids.” Their hyung says snatching his phone back. He looks at Minhyun and the other looks at him resigned. “Fine. Truce?”

“Truce.”

“Finally! Now continue Dongho.”

“Where was I?” He asks—forgetting where he stopped.

“You saw JR—”

“-Jonghyun” Minhyun corrects.

“Fine. Jonghyun this morning.” The elder says with an eye-roll.

“Uh yeah, and he looks like a mess—well not this Minhyun mess—but just drunk and haggard and completely hang-over.” He says with a shrug.

“My poor Jonghyunnie…” Minhyun says with a sad voice—he looks at his brother, and the other is really worried of ‘ _his Jonghyunnie’._ “You should have taken care of him better Minhyun-ah…” He tells him

“I know… I’m sorry… I’m sorry my Jonghyunnie… I’m still so lacking… I should have taken care of you better… My precious Jonghyunnie… Jonghyunnie…”

“…..okay so what happened next?” Aron pulls him to face him

“Uhm…I took him out for breakfast…I think…he’s kinda…uh…shy meeting Minhyun like that?” He glances on the other’s shocked but proud—too proud face. “He is?? Why? He shouldn’t feel shy in seeing me—though I know that my visual is well…” Minhyun shrugs and he can’t help but raised his brow on his vain brother “No one can beat how beautiful, I am, aside from my adorable Jonghyunnie…but point is, he shouldn’t have to feel that way.” He hears Aron hyung scoff at his side and he can’t blame him—he feel like throwing up just listening to Minhyun’s self-praising.

“Uh. Yeah. You’re the Visual King after all.” He sarcastically says.

“I know… my poor Jonghyunnie….” Sadly the other doesn’t seem to realize that.

Aron hyung gives him a look that he’s not buying the shit he is saying. After all who would anyway? Well—aside from Minhyun. “So nothing else happened after that?”

“Well his friend came over to our table to introduce himself.”

“Don’t tell me his name is MY GREEK SEAL WITH A <3?!” Minhyun says fuming

“Who the hell would name their son like that Minhyun?”

“Well there’s a guy named like that calling him at 3am. So is he?”

“No. I think the guy’s name is Seung something?”

“Then that could be _MY GREEK SEAL with a <3_!!!!!” He rolls his eyes at his brother who’s going overboard and too sensitive again. “LOOK—I’M SURE IT’S NOT SO STOP OVERREACTING.”

“YOU SAID A GUY CAME OVER!!!” The other yells at him

“I said FRIEND and I’m sure—”

“Wait—is he Seungcheol?” Aron hyung asks looking concerned? Concerned about who? He glances at their still fuming brother—Oh. So that’s Greek Seal with a what? He forgot. He nods and Aron shakes his head—busy pondering on something.

 “WAIT. YOU SNAKES!!! YOU KNOW _MY GREEK SEAL with a <3_?!” Minhyun fumes catching on their exchange.

“Okay first of all—learn to respect me, your _HYUNG_. And second _NO_ , Seungcheol is Ren’s cousin and JR’s friend, and I highly doubt that he’s ‘ _Mr. MY GREEK SEAL with a <3’_.” Their hyung says.

“Which by the way was your missing son, hyung.” He adds as he watches their hyung reaction in taking it all in. The elder’s brows furrow and answers him with a _“Yes.”_ So he continues—just to satisfy his kicks. “Also the same guy Minhyun is pinning on now.” He tells him with a smile so big, Aron looks at him—completely disgusted.

“That really doesn’t sound right Dongho. So is Minhyun like my son in law now?” He smiles again—this time mischievously as he seals the last deal “He is, plus the fact that you and Sujin noona—” Aron hyung stands and glares him down.

“Don’t you dare go there!” The other snarls and he just shrugs and smiles at the other—acting innocent.  “I’m just stating the facts.”

“OKAY GOING BACK TO THE IMPORTANT TOPIC—ARE YOU SURE THAT ‘SEUNCHEOL GUY’ ISN’T ‘MY-GREEK-SEAL-WITH A <3’?” Minhyun interrupts—stopping his fun. He rolls his eyes and their Hyung answers with a tired _YES._

“GOOD. Cos whoever that ‘ _My Greak Seal with a <3’ _is, I told him that I was Jonghyun’s boyfriend.” The other says proud of his pettiness. He looks at him and he shakes his head—no one can beat Minhyun with his pettiness after all.

“Wow. And here I thought you can never get any pettier.”

“Disappointed but not surprised.” Their hyung adds

He hears Minhyun scoff at them as he look at him pointedly “Whatever. At least I’m doing something unlike you.” He can feel Aron hyung froze on his side and he sighs. _Like he said—no one can beat Minhyun when it comes to pettiness—even if it means that he’ll hurt someone just so he could win._

Their hyung holds his hands and glares at the _Petty King_ “MINHYUN.”

“What?! I’m just _STATING FACTS_ too!”

He shakes his head and stands up—he’d had enough of this talk and he just wants to sleep. “I’m going to sleep now hyung.” Aron looks at him worriedly but nods, patting him on the back.

“Go Dongho… You must’ve been so tired. Go and take your princess nap.” The other says with a sad and worried smile. He nods and takes his leave, walking straight to his room and closes the door. He looks up and sighs. Not moving an inch and just leans on the door.

He hears the two talking in the living room—just like before.  

“You shouldn’t have said that Minhyun… you know how hard it was for him to do that…” The older says chastising the other.

“We can’t always turn a blind eye for him either hyung. He needs to man up instead of doing his ‘daddy long legs’ project on—”

“ENOUGH MINHYUN-AH. LET HIM DO WHAT HE WANTS TO DO.” Aron says putting his ground. “Well sorry hyung, I can’t do that this time.” The other says unfazed—nothing new.

“Okay then, I won’t call Ren to ask for your _‘Jonghyunnie’_.” He hears a loud sigh “Fine. I’ll let him do what he wants—for now.”

“Good boy Minhyun.”

“CALL HIM NOW HYUNG!!”

“Take a bath first.”

“Hyuungie~~”

“No. take your bath first. You still look creepy.”

“Fine.”

He breathes out. Guess they’re done talking about him now…

He lays down on his bed…memories flowing back to haunt him again.

~

_They’re in the back of his Galloper, listening to the songs that they worked on._

_“…Did I ever tell you how much I love you?” He tells him_

_“You did.” The other says nonchalantly and continues to be busy with his phone like he just didn’t say something important. He takes his phone away and the other glares at him “Then why won’t you say it back?”_

_The other takes his phone back and sighs “Do I have too?”_

_This time he pulls his chin gently—so that he could look at him “Yes.” He tells him with a smile._

_The other laughs at him and he nods—urging for him to say it. “If it makes you happy then, I love you.” The other tells him sarcastically—as always. He groans, making the other laugh at him—clearly enjoying how he has control over him._

_He rolls his eyes and looks at him again, caressing his hair “Do you really have to say it like that?” He asks more like a whisper—he sees the other smile and lean in his touch and he smiles._

_He doesn’t know what he did in his life to have him in his, he knows that he’s undeserving, a total ass even—but somehow God has his plans and decided to give him a chance to be happy in the most unexpected way—and even if the other would torment him with his push and pull ways—he’d rather have it everyday, everytime—even if sometimes the other drives him to insanity—he’ll take it—all of it, because it’s him._

_The person that he loves so much._

_“Why not?” The other says teasingly, touching and straightening his furrowed brows—when it’s his fault it’s like that in the first place._

_“Do you always have to be this sassy?” He asks as he sees the other’s eyes light up in victory—and he chuckles, pulling his hand and kissing it._

_The other smiles at him lovingly and at the same time mischievously—he raises a brow, waiting for him to say what he knows he’ll say anyway. The other chuckles, knowing what’s on his mind “Well, you fell in love with this sassy me.” The other says too proud._

_He shakes his head and pinches him on the cheeks “You’re right. I shouldn’t have fallen for you.”_

_The other laughs again—but this time it’s not the teasing nor the playful one—but the other side of him that he loves and fallen in love with from that first meeting._

_“Too late love.” The other tells him with a peck on his forehead._

_“I love you.” He says leaning his forehead to his._

_“I love you too, Kang Dongho.” The other tells him._

 

_Til that day we meet again,_

_Just be well._

 

 

**_“I’m just lonely lonely lonely, cos you’re not here it’s a bit lonely,_ **

**_I’m just lonely lonely lonely, cos you who I like isn’t here, it’s a bit lonely.”_ **

**-NU’EST W** **| _Ylenol_**

 

 

**_“Aron?”_** Ren says on the other line—a bit confused, when he just texted him an hour ago that he has some things to do.

“Ren-ah~~ My Ren~~~” He hears the other laugh and he knows that the other is smiling that angelic smile of his **_“Stop it! You’re making me blush!”_**

He sighs—he misses him already. “I wish I could see it…” He tells him.

**_“You could always see it, you know. All you have to do is ask.”_** The other says playfully—he grins and joins him on their usual teasing. “Really now?” The other laughs again and he feels like he’s in _paradise._

“I missed you so much Ren-ah...” This time he tells him—meaning. **_“I missed you too. But isn’t it only been a few hours?”_**

“I know…But I still miss you so much…” he says with a sigh. He hears a pause on the other and a sigh **_“I feel the same…”_** He closes his eyes and wishes that he could be there next to him—holding his hand, touching his cheeks, teasing him—“HYUNG.” Oh. he forgot about the real reason he’s calling his Ren right now. He sighs again.

**_“Is everything okay Aron?”_ **

“Uh…yeah…I’m sorry…It’s just that…Is JR there?”

“Jonghyun.” His brother corrects him—he glares at the other, warning to keep quiet.

**_“He is… but I think he’s sleeping now. Uhm… I heard he was with Baekho this morning?”_** He can feel the worry on Ren’s voice and he feels the same—whatever’s happening between his brother and JR—he shakes his head. _Not now. Not now please._ He clears his throat and answers the other as nonchalantly as possible. “Yeah, Baekho told us earlier.

**_“Us?”_** He knows that his precious Ren’s taken aback so he tries his best to calm him “It’s a long story, but… can we meet later?” He asks changing the topic—well not really since it still involved the two.   ** _“Sure. I’d like that.”_**

“And I’m sorry for asking…Can you bring J-I mean Jonghyun?” He asks in resignation as he sees his brother’s watching him like Noah—if Minhyun only has a tail, it’s probably wagging uncontrollably right now. **_“Will the guy who slept with him be there too?”_** Again—the worry on Ren’s voice—he stops himself from sighing and keeps himself calm. “Yes.”

**_“I’ll try but I can’t promise…”_** Please don’t try Ren—he wishes he could tell him. But he can’t. And not because of Minhyun who’s smiling at him too much. “Thanks Ren…Just tell me what time you guys are free, so we could pick you up.”

**_“Sure thing! I’m guessing the guy who slept with Jonghyun is next to you?”_ **

“…yeah.” He sighs.

**_“It’s okay, Guess I’ll talk to you later?”_** The other says back in his cheerful mode. He smiles “Yup, I’ll call you back later.”  

**_“Okay~ Bye Aron!”_ **

“Bye Ren-ah~”

“Did he say yes?” Minhyun asks him as soon as he hangs up. _“He said he’ll try, JR-fine Jonghyun is still sleeping.”_

“My poor baby…” The other says in his dramatic voice. He grunts.” _Since I did my part, can you leave me alone now?”_ The other nods and he stands. “Fine~ thanks hyung!”

 

He goes inside his room with Noah following next to him. His son jumps on their bed and lies down—probably tired with his uncle’s creepy episode today like he was.

He lies down next to Noah and just stares at his ceiling. He sighs.

 

_Minki…_

_My precious Minki…._

_….Until when are we going to play this game?_

 


	9. Thank U, Next

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their story.

 

**_“I've loved and I've lost, but that's not what I see._ **

**_So, look what I got, look what you taught me._ **

**_And for that, I say, Thank you, Next.”_ **

**-Ariana Grande | _Thank U, Next_**

 

 

**_“…Hey.”_** Seongwu says

“Hey you...” He answers back with a smile. It’s good to hear his voice— _it’s been a while after all._

**_“I was calling you earlier… but someone else…”_** Someone else? Baekho? Can’t be, his phone was with him the whole time. So… _the Stranger?_

**_“Jong?”_ **

“Yeah I was with someone.” He tells him.

**_“Yeah… he made that pretty obvious…”_** He knows that Seongwu closed his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose—he’s irritated right now and he knows that just by hearing his voice.

_What did the stranger say to him to make him this irritated? Seongwu—doesn’t easily lose his temper unless..._

**“ _I tried calling again, but I can’t reach you.”_** He hears him breath out exasperatedly—making him remember that day when Minki and Cheol crashed their date—when the other already asked them nicely not to and just give them that day for themselves—the two demon cousins (Cheol the lesser demon) just brushed it off not even bothered nor fazed of Seongwu’s continuous cursing and glaring—making him laugh at his—He shakes his head.

_Don’t go there Jonghyun-ah. Just don’t._

He hears the other still mumbling on his tirade on whatever the _Stranger_ said to him—that he wasn’t even listening to and interrupts him. “Let’s meet later Seongwu.”

**_“He’s a prick—wait, what?_** **”** Seongwu says surprised—can’t blame him though.

“I said, let’s meet later.” He says repeating it just so that it will go through his head. He hears the other catch his breath—realizing what he said. _Good—_ at least he doesn’t have to repeat it again.

**_“…A-are you sure?”_** The other asks him uneasily—a contrast to his mask of confidence that he always wears to protect himself.

He looks out on the streets and sees a couple. The guy looks like he’s teasing his girlfriend as the other just pouts and looks unamused.  

“Yeah.” He tells him as he watch the guy kiss his girlfriend on the lips, making the other blush.

**_“Okay… Same place?”_** He closes his eyes as memories of _knowing smiles, stolen kisses, warm embraces, and laughter drown him._

He opens his eyes and stares at the ceiling. “Yeah. See you at 5.”

**_“…See you.”_** Seongwu says and he can feel all his emotions underneath it—even if the other tried his best to hide it.

“See you.” He hangs up immediately not wanting to hear and know what the other’s feeling. He looks back at the couple—but this time, it’s him that he sees—just not the hangover him.

But the _past him_.

Smiling but you can see the emptiness and sadness in his eyes.

The other him nods and disappears—exactly how he did before, leaving him with his hangover self.

He sighs and puts his phone on the table.

Closing his eyes again.

 

He hears a ping on his phone and it’s a message from his best friend.

**Choi Demon**

**_He left, you can go home now._ **

_Finally._

 

“Guess _my prodigal son_ finally decided to come home!” The demon greets him with so much sarcasm as soon as he steps in their apartment.

He groans and flops down their coach, taking one of the throw pillows and covers his face with it.

“Shut up Minki, I’m tired.” He grumbles. Minki pulls the pillow out and he glares at his glaring best friend.

“Like I care! _NOW FUCKING SPILL!!! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!_ I was so worried for you last ni—” he rolls his eyes and takes the pillow again.

“Yeah, I heard that you guys went _looking_ for me after an _HOUR_.” He sees the other squirm a little but quickly hides it with his _demonic powers_.

“Whoever told you that was a liar! I was crying the whole night! Thanked God my eyeliner was waterproof!” the other screeches and he can’t help but raise his eyebrow—really now Minki? He shakes his head and covers his face, he’s damn too tired to deal with him.

“Baekho actually told me that.”

“Ugh, I’m gonna have to deduct some points from him then.” Minki says disappointedly, pursing his lips—seriously pondering on something. The other shakes his head and mumbles an ‘ _at least his trustworthy’_ and that’s when he knows that the _demon_ is actually fucking serious on _Baekho_.

“The fuck? Don’t tell me you still haven’t given up on that?!” Minki looks at him and smiles his signature _devilish smile_.

“I haven’t, and I _still like_ him for _you_.” He covers his face and screams in the pillow—Minki chuckles, getting his kick on annoying him “You guys would make such an _amazing_ power couple! I mean—didn’t you see how manly his **_specs_** are bugi-ya?! With a _body_ like that—he’ll protect you from every harm that _your clumsy self_ always gets into.”

He groans “IT’S PECS MINKI. _PECS._ ” he hears the other scoff—annoyed that he got corrected as usual.

“WHATEVER BUGI, I’M A _FASHION MAJOR_ , I DON’T NEED IT IN MY LIFE. Anyway, let’s move on to the _important_ stuff!” The demon takes his pillow again and he glares at him as the other just gives a knowing look “ _How was breakfast with Baekho?_ I see that you’re not wearing your clothes, so _whose_ clothes do that belong too?” He sees Minki’s eyes glinting with anticipation and he rolls his eyes.

“For someone who _lost_ his _‘son’_ and said he was _‘crying and worried’_ all night that’s what you’re more _interested_ in knowing? What a _great parent_ you are Minki.” He tells him turning around, not wanting to explain—when he doesn’t even know what happened last night in the first place.

“ _Well_ , let’s just say I talked to a certain _‘Angel’_ last night, and that lessen my worry. _Now SPILL_.”

“ _Angel?_ ” He turns and looks at the other confused with what he said, Minki rolls his eyes at him “Just spill the tea Jong, I don’t have all day, I still have to do my morning skin care routine.”

“What do you mean you talked to a certain ‘ _Angel_ ’?” He asks sitting this time as he stares at his best friend’s face that’s turning more and more appalled by the second. He waits and just stares at the other watching as Minki’s eyes grew huge and turn into slits—realizing his dilemma.

“God—you’re!” The other shrieks and paces back and forth “You don’t remember anything?” he shakes his head “Even a tiny bit?” he smiles apologetically and shakes his head again, Minki breathes out in frustration—can’t blame him though. He looks down and sighs. Try as he might—he really can’t remember anything at all that happened last night.

“I can’t believe this!! You went all out into your _‘Jonghyunnie’ mode_ last night.” He shudders and shrinks—just imagining him going to that….that side of him… especially how he knows how he is in that _“mode”_. He remembers that video of him that went viral and had reached his family which got them all grounded for a month and—he shudders again.

“You’re seriously a mess when you get drunk Jonghyun-ah, shouldn’t that vid of you before that got all of us into _trouble_ and got us all _moving_ , by the way, taught you a lesson on _never to get drunk again?!_ ” he looks down and nods, ashamed of his actions _._ Minki sighs and pats him on the head “You’re lucky that your _‘Angel’_ last night was actually _nice_. I felt bad and worried for him, you were asking him to get _undressed_ for _heaven's’ sake!_  And from what I heard last night, I can feel that he actually _cared for you_ and he was _kinda sweet_ , _full of adoration for you_ even—if that’s even possible because you’re a handful in that _‘mode’_ , but I guess we all have different **_fetishes_**.” His best friend says sitting next to him.

“Do you really have to end it that way?”

The other shrugs—suddenly looking tired too. “You asked me, I answered.”

“I regretted asking and you’re the one who brought in me the club demon.” He tells him—even though he knows that it’s his fault for not distinguishing the difference of _Tea_ and _Cuba Libre._

“Whatever. So let’s go back to _Baekho_ and your so-called _‘Angel’_. I can’t believe that you slept in their place and told them your name!!! If Aron finds out who I am—I swear, I’m gonna stab you with my precious waterproof eyeliner!” He looks at his fuming best friend, but he can see the anxiety underneath it.

“What’s the deal with that anyway Minki? What’s with the hiding?” he asks carefully—because this is not how his best friend usually acts. He knows everything about the other, and they don’t even try to keep secrets on one another because the other would know anyway by just looking—so this is very unusual, especially when Minki really did a great job from keeping it from him—until now that is, as he sees his walls slowly crumble as the other tries his best to keep his façade and build it—not noticing that the more he does it, the more it slowly breaks apart.

Minki looks away “Later Jong... later…” he nods, understanding that the other needs time. “Did you tell them who you are?” The other whispers

“I don’t know…” He shrugs and Minki sighs in resignation. “I just told Baekho my name, and like I said I don’t remember anything that happened with _‘Angel’_ last night.”

“…Did…He didn’t ask?” He looks at his best friend who’s gazing at the table that’s full of their pictures—each of them with their families, a picture of Minki, Cheol and him, and another of them three with Jeonghan, and the last… was a picture of them during their high school graduation—all of them in their _Togas_ — _Minki_ beaming at the camera with his arms raised on the other side, _Cheol_ smirking with his signature _cool_ pose next to him, and _Seongwu  holding his hand, both of them_ smiling and looking at each other _lovingly_ in their own bubble in the middle.

 

_“We’ve made it—Happy Anniversary my love.” Seongwu whispers, leaning his forehead into his. He chuckles and beams at the other._

_“Happy 2nd year, my Greek Seal.” He says kissing him on the forehead. Seongwu closes his eyes and hums._

_“I’m taking it—1, 2...” Minki’s brother say_

_“I love you Jonghyun.” Seongwu tells him, looking at him with so much love._

_“I love you too Seongwu.”  He says with all his heart._

_“3.”_

 

He leans on the sofa and looks up, staring at their gray ceiling “Baekho...?” He asks and feels the other nod. “He did…and I told him I’m not.” He looks sideways, watching Minki still gazing at the picture of him with his family.

“Good…” Minki looks away and looks down on his hands, looking so dispirited.

“Minki…” He reaches for his best friend’s hand worriedly.

Minki smiles at him sadly and squeezes his “I’ll tell you later Jong.”

He sighs “Fine... Are we done?”

“Yeah…we are…for now.” The other smiles at him, his devilish smile back on his lips but it doesn’t reach his distraught eyes.

“Great. I’m gonna sleep first, do your morning routine or something.” He stands and shrugs. The other nods, looking distant again “Yeah I will…I guess.”

He looks at his best friend looking downcast… He really is worried but he knows the other wouldn’t tell him anything unless he’s ready or worse—it blows off on him. Whatever Minki is hiding from him, from Aron… he breathes out.  He shakes his head and goes to his room, he missed his bed so much—though the bed that he woke up in was weirdly comfortable for him. He sighs again. Remembering the state he was in earlier. He’ll remember everything later, right? He puts an alarm on his phone for later and closes his eyes so that he can finally sleep—after all he’ll need that for later.

 

 

_“Don’t be a stranger in the morning Jonghyun-ah...”_

He wakes up to the loud music blaring from the living room. _Choi Demon seriously_ —If their neighbors’ downstairs file a complaint against them again he swears that he’ll throw Minki’s speakers and mic in the trash. He checks his phone for the time and surprised that he it’s almost 4 already. _Fuck_ —he overslept and snoozed his alarm again. He groans and sits up—massaging his temples as he feels a migraine hit him again.

_That’s what you get for letting lose Jonghyun,_

_That’s what you get._

“Keep it down demon, or the neighbors will complain again.” he snarls at the other as he pops a Tylenol in his mouth and taking a canned _doubleshot espresso_ in their fridge.

“Oh, you’re awake and somehow already dressed. Good, we’re going somewhere!” Minki says happily following him in the kitchen.

“What do you mean?” He asks apprehensively, taking a long sip of the caffeine that he really needs right now.

“Aron asked to meet us today.” He raises his brow at the other. “For?” Minki shrugs and puts that _innocent_ smile of his.

“I don’t know, maybe he just wants to see you, _his son?_ ” He rolls his eyes and scoffs _. Sure Minki._ The other groans knowing that he already caught on whatever agenda that he’s playing. “Fine. I can’t lie to you anyway, the guy you slept with—meaning your _‘angel’_ , asked Aron to ask me if he can meet you tonight, with Aron and I, of course.”

“Stop calling him that.”

“What should I call him then? _Demon?_ ” The other says sarcastically.

“No, because _you’re the demon._ ” The other scoffs “Ha. Ha. Very funny Jong.” He winks at him and the other makes a face “Anyway so?” He shakes his head and Minki looks at him, waiting.

“I can’t. I’m meeting Seongwu at 5.” He says with a shrug as if it’s not a big deal at all. Minki looks taken aback. _Guess he wasn’t listening when Seongwu and I were talking earlier… good._  “You are?” his best friend asks, concern and worry all over his face. He shrugs again and goes to the dining table that’s full of books and their things instead of food.

“I am.” He tells him putting his things on his bag.

“Do you want me to go with you?” He shakes his head and Minki seats on the chair across from him—reading him. He smiles and the other smiles at him—consoling him.

“It’s okay Minki, if you’re there, I’ll just find an excuse again…”

“You sure?” Minki reaches for his hand and squeezes it.

“Yeah. It’s about time anyway.”

“I’ll be here when you get home.” Minki comfortingly says while holding his hand tighter, reminding him that he’ll always be here, just like when they were kids. He smiles as he looks at their hands, it’s been a long time since they held each other’s hands though they still share hugs from time to time when one of them needed it, but this one has been a long time, it reminded him of the memories of their younger selves, how they would always hold each other’s hands when they’re together.  He laughs and Minki must’ve understood him because the latter, is laughing too.

“Thank you, but I’d rather you go on a date with my dad tonight, I’ll be late, I think.”

“You going there after?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay then, just call me if you change your plans and wanted to meet, okay?”

“Yes mum.” He answers with a smile.

“My poor son, you’ll meet someone better, don’t worry! And maybe that person is _Baekho!_ ” The other gushes and he rolls his eyes—way to ruin the mood Minki.

“Baekho is already taken. Didn’t he told us that last night?” He tells him matter-of-factly.

“He also told us _‘it’s complicated’_ so, I won’t!”

“You’re unbelievable—shouldn’t you be trying to set me up with that angel instead?” he says trying to change the subject before his demon of a best friend starts planning for his ‘ _Operation Baekho’._

The other ponders on that but shakes his head almost immediately “I would if I saw his face— _OH FUCK_!” The demon shrieks and he almost covers himself with coffee.

“What now?!”

“ _YOU CALLED ME MINKI INFRONT OF HIM!!!!!_ ” The other says fuming—really fuming at him this time and he backs away. “What do you mean?” he asks carefully

“I called you _last night_ right?” he nods even when he doesn’t know where this is going “ _And you fucking called me ‘Minkwi’ when you’re with him!!!_ ” He gulps— _oh fuck_ —he’ll really get stabbed with eyeliner this time—he quickly thinks of any reason to prolong his life—“ _I WILL REALLY STAB YOU WITH MY PRECIOUS EYE LINER KIM JONGHYUN!!!!!_ ”

“Your eyeliner is _precious_ Minki— _don’t ever forget that_.” he reminds him making sure there’s at least a huge distance away from the _fuming demon._

“ _I can buy another one!!!_ ” Minki says walking towards him

“ _LOOK!_ ” He raises his hands in surrender making the other stop midway with an eyeliner already in his hand— _how the hell did he do that?! Is he really the_ son of Hades?!  Minki glares at him—nodding urging him to say whatever he’s gonna say.

“He…He probably won’t remember!!! So chill okay?” The other shakes his head, not buying it and continues to close the gap “And you said I called you _‘Minkwi’_ and your name is _‘Minki’_ —and it’s not like I only have you as my friend plus it’s not like your name will be that important to him anyway.” He closes his eyes awaiting his doom as Minki is now inches away from him—that he can feel his breath against his skin.

_“DID YOU JUST TELL ME THAT I’M **UNIMPORTANT**?!”_ What? He opens his eyes and looks at the other—still fuming but he knows that he wouldn’t kill now—still he stealthily reaches for the eyeliner at the same time watches for Minki’s reaction—none aside from the fact that he’s annoyed from getting called _unimportant._

He quickly puts the eyeliner in his back pocket and regains his sense of pride “I fucking just told you the reasons why you shouldn’t have to worry, yet all you heard was you’re _‘unimportant’_?” he says sarcastically confident—now that he knows that he’s safe.

The other glares at him but sits back on the dining table “How can I not hear that?”

He chuckles and messes the demon’s hair “You’re hopeless Minki.”

“Whatever.” The other mumbles—back to his semi-human form “And not to be that bitch— but I think you need to leave now, if you’re still planning to, that is.” He looks at the time and sighs again. He should really leave now and get this over with.

He takes his back pack and puts it on, smiling at his friend “Wish me luck Demon.”

His best friend stands and hugs him tight and smiles at him.

“Break his leg Bugi-yah.” He nods and takes his leave.

 

Seongwu’s already there in their _“spot”_ when he arrived 30 minutes late and drenched with the rain.

Seongwu still hasn’t seen him yet—too absorbed staring in the rain through the glass walls. He smiles, remembering how they spent their time studying in this place and whenever it rains Seongwu would stop and just look outside enjoying the view.

He remembers that time, back when they’re still freshmen’s in the university, when he teased him how sentimental he is—especially after starring in their department’s play. Seongwu argued back that it’s not because of that and went on his tirade of him ruining the mood for them—which only made him tease him more.

 

_“You ruined the mood Jong, You. Ruined. It!” Seongwu whines at him for stating facts. He smirks and waves his eyebrows at his annoyed boyfriend making the other groan in annoyance._

_“Can’t you see that everything is just perfect?” The other says waving around them. He shakes his head and props his chin on his hand, looking at the other who’s growing more and more exasperated by his teasing._

_“I don’t. Sorry.” He answers mischievously, pushing the other’s buttons as he hears another groan of his. His smile gets wider as the other’s face grew grim._

_Seongwu pulls his hand from his chin and pulls his face closer to his “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” The other says watching his reaction—he puts on his innocent face and pouts “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”_

_“Really?” The other says pursing his lips as he slowly looks down on his lips—he chuckles._

_“Really.” He says, closing the gap and giving him a quick peck. He hears the other laugh heartily and shake his head. Closing his eyes, leaning his forehead into his._

_“You’re driving me insane Jonghyun… You’re driving me insane.” He closes his eyes and hums. He feels Seongwu’s warm soft lips on his forehead and he sighs in contentment. Seongwu pulls him on his side as they lean on each other—enjoying the perfect view._

_“Everything’s perfect Jong…” The other whispers as his fingers draw circles on his shoulders. “The rain—not to hard nor to light, giving us the reason to snuggle like this…” he chuckles and nods for him to continue. “Our favorite music playing not too loud or too low mixing with the sound of raindrops making it relaxing—as if we’re home…” He hums and leans comfortably in Seongwu’s shoulders._

_He looks down on their interlaced hands and raises it—He can feel Seongwu smile and kiss the top of his head. “And the love of my life—who’s also driving me insane most of time, is with me—in my embrace. Tell me Jonghyun, if this isn’t perfect, then what else is?” The other says looking down_

_“I think you’re still too in character with your character in the play love.” He tells him grinning._

_Seongwu sighs and shakes his head. “You just won’t let it pass til you get your kick on teasing me, aren’t you?”_

_“Of course.” He beams_

_“You’re insufferable Jonghyun.” He laughs and the other sighs “Sometimes I question myself—that maybe I should brought that umbrella instead of deciding to ignore it, then maybe—just maybe, I wouldn’t meet you and fall for you instantly that day—and get to know you instead, without being whipped from the beginning—get to know how evil you truly are despite this angelic look of yours.” He pulls away and smirks at him—Seongwu raises an eyebrow, waiting for his smart-ass reply._

_“Sadly, you decided to ignore that red umbrella of yours.” He says in an apologetically tone but not meaning it—just so he could tease the other._

_Seongwu shakes his head but smiles at him with so much love that makes him breathless in a very very good way “Sadly. But I know that even with these evil tricks of yours—I’ll do it all over again, leave it every time—Especially when I know that I’ll meet a certain boy, with the yellow umbrella who has most beautiful and angelic smile—telling me to come close to him or I’ll get sick.”_

_“Is that how you saw me that day?” He asks taken aback—he had no idea that’s how the other saw him, especially when Seongwu didn’t even say anything during their walk, he even found him quite intimidating then—he didn’t even thanked him and just left as soon as they got in the school building and when they saw each other again (which is only after half an hour) was in the classroom, when their homeroom teacher introduced a fake-smiling Ong Seongwu to the class._

_He was then tasked as the ‘Class President’ to helped Seongwu for the next few days. The other still keeps to himself but slowly opens up—and the next thing he knew they were already too close—to the point that they’re inseparable—which annoyed the hell out of Minki because his best friend was suddenly stolen by a ‘Greek Seal’ under his nose without even him noticing._

_And just like any other cliché love stories, Seongwu asked him out at the end of the school year, during their first summer outing together with Minki and Cheol—and of course he said yes and hugged the other—surprising him. Apparently the ‘Greek Seal’ has no idea that he already stole his heart too._

_Seongwu reaches for his hand, interlocking it with his and shakes his head, telling him that there’s more to the story than that._

_“Wow.” he says completely flabbergasted and the other pulls him again on his side, leaning his head on top of his. Seongwu kisses him on the head and murmurs “Trust me, that’s just the tip of the iceberg, you don’t know how you drove me insane that day—even without your evil tricks.”_

 

_You should have really brought that umbrella of yours Seongwu-yah. Because maybe, just maybe that will save us both from this._ He whispers as he starts walking towards the other.

He sits across from him, making Seongwu jump in his seat. He puts down his bag as the other stares at him still surprised as if he didn’t really expect him to show up.

“J-jong…” Seongwu says his brows knitted together as he tries to grasp the situation.

“Hi.” He says smiling at him. Smiling the best he could. The smiling not to show his collapsing walls.

“Hi… it’s been a long time… since… I last saw you.” Seongwu smiles at him—but unlike him, Seongwu’s baring everything out for him, baring everything without him needing to claw his way in it—baring everything out for him now when he doesn’t need it, and needed it a year ago, a year too late from the time that he can change everything—a year too late when he still had that chance—the chance to save them and their _oh-so-perfect relationship._

_He’s running late for his Pathogenic Bacteriology and Immunology—and fuck it, Professor Zo would really kill him—especially when he’s been late for 3 consecutive meetings already._

_He looks down and curses. He moves to the side and kneels to tie his shoelaces that somehow keeps on untying themselves ever since he put them on this morning—if only Seongwu’s—he sighs and shakes his head._

_Seongwu wouldn’t be here… especially after that fight of theirs that’s been going on for days… And the fact that he added more fuel to the fire by going to that party without telling him—only for the other to find out, thanks to his very unhelpful dummy of a best friend that’s named Choi Seungcheol._

**_~_ **

**_“I understand how you’re annoyed that I don’t spend as much time with you these days—but can’t you just understand that I have things going on?!”_ ** _Seongwu tells him furiously. Well two can play at this game—because it’s not only him that’s furious._

**_“I’ll fucking understand if you tell me what’s going on—but you didn’t do that right?!”_ ** _he spats furiously at his phone. He hears a loud thud coming from the other and he bites his lower lip stopping himself—no Jonghyun, don’t give in. Don’t ask. He’s with his family anyway, he’s safe. He’ll be safe._

**_“There are things that I can and can’t tell you at the moment—I already asked you countless of times to just wait until I fix things—yet”_ ** _He hears another loud thud—harder this time, he closes his eyes and clenches his fist—keep it together Jonghyun-ah… keep it together. **“Yet—there you are, at a fucking party, without Minki and Cheol with you—knowing that I’ll be worried and furious!”**_

**_“Minki and Cheol will be here later.”_ ** _He says assuring him—forgetting that he’s furious at the other._

**_“Because I asked them to go there!”_** _The other snarls_ and he sighs

**_“I’m getting tired of this fight Seongwu. This is not us…”_ ** _he says exhausted. He hears the other breathe out and he knows he’s tired too… **“Tell me what’s going on please… I can help—”**_

**_“I can’t Jonghyun. I can’t right now.”_ ** _Seongwu says stern and cold—and it hurts him, it hurts him so much that he can’t even do anything, Seongwu can’t even trust and rely on him and just keeping it all to himself when he sees him breaking apart. Reminding him of the barriers that even with all these years of knowing him—he can’t and will never reach._

**_“Then this is it for us.”_ ** _He tells the other and hangs up. He goes back inside the party and drinks and drinks and drinks—until he can no longer remember._

**_~_ **

_He’s about to stand up when a student bumps on him, making him crash sideways on the lockers. He looks up and about to curse at the other for not being careful when he’s literally on the side—but the look on the other’s face makes him stop instead._

_“What? Are you gonna ask me to remove my clothes too?” The other asks with pure mockery and disgust._

_“Excuse me?” he asks taken aback_

_“Jonghyunnie wants this wemove~ Jonghyunnie wants this wemove~” The other says loudly earning everyone’s attention. He quickly stands up and pushes the other on the wall._

_“What the hell are you talking about?!” he snarls at him as the other chuckles darkly_

_“Oh stop acting innocent. Tell me, is this how you got Seongwu wrapped around your fingers, Jonghyunnie?” The other says loudly again. He’s about to punch the guy when he sees Seongwu on the other side, standing in front of his classroom—just looking at him. “Oh look, it’s Seongwu!”_

_“Don’t you fucking dare asshole.” He punches the wall, a few inches from the asshole’s face “Touch him—and I swear, I’ll make your life a living hell.” He says shoving him harder on the wall._

_He turns and walks toward Seongwu who’s still rooted in place—he smiles letting him now that everything’s okay, everything will be okay but the look on Seongwu’s face stops him in place._

 

_It’s not his Seongwu._

_Nor the Seongwu that he knows._

_The one that’s looking at him is someone different—someone that he can’t recognize._

 

_He suddenly feels everyone staring at him._

_The murmurs getting louder and louder,_

_People laughing at him and he clutches on his shirt._

_Seongwu’s still looking at him—watching him, not moving an inch—he looks at him, pleads him to go to him this time because he knows that he can’t—but the other remains impassive._

_He’s scared—he knows no matter how much he pleads or scream even—there’s no use._

 

_Because this isn’t his Seongwu._

_And there’s no longer his Seongwu._

_He doesn’t know how long they stayed like this._

_How long he stayed rooted in place as the people around him stared, whispered, called him names, and laughed at him._

_How long he waited for his Seongwu to come back and save him._

_“Let’s go Jonghyun…” He hears Minki tell him holding onto his right hand. He remains unmoving, looking at Seongwu—waiting for him._

_“Enough Jonghyun.” Seungcheol pulls him. Seongwu looks away and turns around._

_His whole world crumbles down—crashing him with it._

 

 

“Let’s skip the pleasantries Seongwu and get straight to the point, shall we?” he asks a bit too cold and he sees the other wince. He bites his lip and curses inwardly “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to…” he shrugs and looks away.

“I understand… and if there’s someone who should be sorry here that’s me.” Seongwu tells him, he stares at the other who’s back at looking outside and he knows that the other’s walls are back in full force.

“Let’s end this now Ong…” He tells him in the most gentle way and the other just nods still busy staring at the rain—he opens his mouth and about to ask him to at least pay attention but decides that it’s better this way, he joins him and looks at rain, watching the raindrops fall on the glass wall continuously.

“I should’ve done this sooner and I’m sorry for dragging this too long. You can stop feeling guilty about it now… really…” He says more of a whisper, he looks at the other who nods and he sighs “And stop bothering Cheol, he’s really getting annoyed now—especially with your drunk calls.” Seongwu sighs and looks at him—and he wishes that he didn’t as he sees the pain in his eyes—no matter how much he tried to cover it.

Seongwu quickly looks away, realizing that he gave too much away. “I know, he left me a text then blocked me on everything.”

He chuckles “Very typical of Choi Seungcheol…”

“Very typical indeed…” Seongwu adds with a bitter laugh.

A crew arrives and serves them Seongwu’s orders and he can’t help but smile, this time meaning it—as he sees their usual orders, an _Iced Caramel Macchiato_ for Seongwu, _Iced Vanilla Latte_ for him, a _soft cinnamon roll_ , and lastly a slice of _blueberry cheesecake_.

“Guess it’s not only Cheol who’s being _very typical._ ” He chuckles and teases the other who blushes beet red but smiles at him shyly in return. Seongwu passes him his blueberry cheesecake as he hands him his knife and fork— _a bit too naturally_ , making Seongwu chuckle this time and raise his eyebrow at him. “Guess, someone joined the ‘ _very typical_ ’ club too.” The other teases.

He rolls his eyes at the other and mumbles a ‘whatever’ as he starts digging on his favorite _Blueberry Cheesecake_. He looks up—feeling the other looking at him and catching him in the act—looking at him sadly and apologetically with longing.

He smiles and puts down his fork. “I’m okay now, Seongwu—really. What happened between us—well, I’ll be lying if I say that it’s all in the past—but what’s done is done, there’s no point if we keep getting hang up on it, we can’t turn back time, and—” He sees Seongwu open his mouth about to say something but closes it again—he waits and the other shakes his head for him to continue “and what happened isn’t your fault—I have my fair share on it, especially when it was me who did that in the first place… and the fact that I should have been more understanding and patient—instead of cornering you…”

Seongwu looks at him proud and sad at the same time—and he almost reaches out just so he could console the other—not because he still feels the same way—but because, after everything that happened— _Seongwu was and will always be a part of him_ , no matter how much he _denies_ it and tries to _escape_ it— _Seongwu will be there_ , even if it’s not as the same as how it was during their ‘ _perfect days’_ as a couple— _still he’ll be there_ —in that tiny corner of his _heart_ —and he knows that the same goes for the other—he just hopes that it will be _tiny_ like his too.

“Guess that guy you’re dating isn’t a _prick_ after all, seeing you like this.” Seongwu says taking a bite of his cinnamon roll.

“What do you mean?” Seongwu raises a brow at him—confused and pondering on something—he knows that the other is choosing between his instincts or what he’s been told.

“The guy you were with last night? When you left Minki in the club?” Seongwu says looking at him—reading his reaction.

_The guy that I was with? Oh… the stranger or ‘Angel’. He forgot about that._

“How’d you know that I left Minki in the club?”

“I was there last night.”

“ _Oh._ ” He says surprised—well, good thing he stumbled on the _stranger_ instead—because he can’t imagine what will happen if he meets Seongwu completely wasted and in that ‘ _mode_ ’ of his.  

“Does he… make you happy?” Seongwu asks him carefully.

“Yeah.” He answers with a lie—because he knows that this will help the other to move on and stop holding onto their past.

“That’s good… What’s his na—”

**♪♪ Where you at...where you at...where you at...where you at...**

**WHERE YOU ATTTTTTTT!!!! ♪♪**

And as if on cue, his phone rings—interrupting Seongwu. He doesn’t even need to check the name to see who it is—he knows it’s the _Son of Hades_ —because who else would call on such _perfect timing_ unless it’s him right?

“Hello?” He smiles apologetically at Seongwu, the other nods and focuses on his cinnamon roll.

**“My son! Are you okay?”**

“I am. Where are you?” He asks, he sees a crease form on Seongwu’s forehead and he feels guilty—but this is the only way.

**“Home and getting ready to see your dad, do you want to meet instead?”**

“Nah, it’s okay babe.” Seongwu coughs and he immediately passes him his Caramel Macchiato, the other mumbles a ‘ _thank you’_ but doesn’t look at him.

**“THE FUCK?”** He hears Minki screech on the line and he smiles as he lowers the volume on the side.

“Yeah, I’ll go there, let me just—” he looks at Seongwu who gives him a nod “Guess I’ll be there in a few…”

**“Smart move Jong, I can see that you’re learning from me.”** He hears Minki clapping in the background.

“I know.” He sighs and Seongwu looks up, checking on him—he shakes his head and the other sighs—well, _this hurts…_

**“You sure you don’t want me to go there?”**

“You don’t have to, same place right?” He sees Seongwu look away and stare at the rain again.

He hears the demon laugh and he tries his best not to roll his eyes.

**“Now say 'I love you' Jong.”** _This Demon. Of course Minki has to take that route._

“ _No._ ” He says firmly.

**“If you really want to end things with him, then say it.”** He sighs, because Minki is right after all. He looks at Seongwu’s reflection on the glass and he sees him watching him all along.

_I’m sorry Seongwu._

“I love you.” He sees the pain all over Seongwu’s face and he tries his best to mask his too.

**“Good boy.”**

“Bye.” He says hanging up.

They remain like that for a couple of minutes—watching the raindrops on the glass, listening on the sounds of raindrops mixing with their favorite songs.

_Everything is perfect—aside from them, who are both covered in their bruises and scars._

“I’m happy for you Jonghyun.” Seongwu says now looking at him.

“I hope you’ll be happy too, Seongwu…” The other chuckles and picks on his unfinished cinnamon roll.

“I’ll try. Now go, don’t keep him waiting.” He nods and takes his backpack and stands.

“I’m really sorry Seongwu… and thank you, _for everything_.” he says before leaving. Seongwu nods and he walks away. Not wanting to hurt him and himself any longer…

“Don’t be a stranger, Jonghyun-ah...” Seongwu calls out and he freezes. But not because of Seongwu, but because of something else.

He looks back at Seongwu with a smile “I won’t Ong.” Seongwu smiles at him and mumbles a ‘ _thank you_ ’.

  

**_~Epilogue~_ **

_He’s walking_

_Feeling lost_

_Feeling empty_

_He didn’t meet his Jonghyunnie tonight, and he doesn’t know if he ever will._

 

He scoffs remembering what Dongho said that Jonghyun was _“shy”_ to meet him earlier because of how _“handsome”_ he is. Who would even buy that bullshit? Especially coming from Dongho’s mouth _, though he knows that he’s handsome, but he’s not that stupid either._

He passes by their club and goes to the pub that they usually go to instead.

He doesn’t want to be in their noisy and chaotic club, and going there would just make him remember and miss him more—more than he should for a _one night stand_ (can he call it like that? well he can’t call it _sleepover_ either.) The pub isn’t as full as it should be on a Saturday, which is good for him because he just wants to unwind, and _The Pub_ (which is its name) has this homey vibe to it, the same vibe as those cafés—if they didn’t serve alcohol drinks that is.

He spots an empty seat at the bar and decides to go there.

“Oh Why is our Rival here?” Hyunbin—the son of the owner also the bartender—sarcastically greets him. He rolls his eye at the other for not getting over it—when his parents already gave them a go signal, even before they start everything.

“There’s a difference between a pub and club, Hyunbin.”

“Still, I can’t believe you guys opened a club right next to us! You’re even our regulars!!!” The other says almost shrieking. _Kids—_ he sighs.

“Sorry, but that’s the only business we could think of with that limited time.” He says with a shrug putting his bag down.

“You could open up a café or something!”

He checks his phone—and of course not a single text from _his Jonghyunnie_. “There are a lot of that already here...”

“How about a restaurant?”

His thumb hover Jonghyun’s number and he sighs— _no, let him do the first move._ “Too hard to manage.”

“Like you guys even manage it? Daniel hyung says he does all the work.” The other says with a smirk.

“He gets paid anyway.”

“You guys are unbelievable.” He looks at the exasperated bartender and he shakes his head. _You’re the one who’s stressing yourself Hyunbin-ah. Move on._ He scoffs—He should do that instead.

“Just give me the usual Hyunbin.” He says tiredly

“Fine.” Hyunbin leaves and comes back in a few minutes and gives him his drink, a ruby red vodka.

He eyes the drink and remembers everything last night. Maybe he should have just ask for that specialty cola—but this bar probably doesn’t have it right?

“So, what’s up with you and the hyungs?”

“What do you mean?” He asks confused

“Baekho hyung was here the other day, Aron hyung was here last night, and now, you. You guys usually go here together, so somethings up when you show up one by one.”

“They were here?” Hyunbin rolls his eyes at him

“I just told you.”

_What’s with his brothers? Though he already has an idea with Baekho—but still, it’s been what? Almost 2 years? And Aron hyung—that’s very unusual of him._  

“That’s weird…” he says mulling over what the other said.

“You guys are all weird to be honest.” Hyunbin says _matter-of-factly_ —okay that’s it—he had enough.  

He glares at the other “You rude—”

“Hyunbinnie~~Can I have another glass?” That voice—he looks at the guy two seats away from him who’s waving his empty glass at Hyunbin.

“Sure thing hyung!” The bartender says cheerily

“Thanks!” Jonghyunnie says

Wait. WHAT. JONGHYUN?! HIS JONGHYUN?! IS HERE?!

He looks at Jonghyun, and his Jonghyun is there sitting with a cap on and reading… a comic book? (The hell?) Jonghyun glances up maybe feeling that someone is looking at him and sees him and smiles.

_FUCK. JONGHYUN, HIS JONGHYUN JUST SMILED AT HIM_. He can feel the butterflies in his stomach getting crazy and crazier each second, his heart feels like it would—

“Here you go hyungie~”

“Thanks binnie~” Jonghyun says beaming at the beaming bartender—who was being an annoying piece of shit on him.

But wait. _Jonghyun is drinking again?!_ He stands before he can even register it and goes after Jonghyun’s drink stopping him, which leads to him spilling it on Jonghyun’s comic book and pants—he’s not clumsy but this is purely his Jonghyun’s effect on him.

“The hell hyung?!” Hyunbin yells at him as he passes some tissues to Jonghyun.

“I-I’m very sorry—I didn’t mean to do that.” he says as he wipes Jonghyun of the drink

“It’s okay, but my mangas...” Jonghyun says as he pats his comic book dry.

“I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to spill it on you—”

“It’s okay, why did you do that anyway?” Jonghyun says with a _beautiful-heart-melting-lottery-winning-heaven-like_ smile

“Uh… I just… I saw Hyunbin put something weird on it?” Okay that’s a _pathetic_ excuse but how can he tell him that he knows what happens when his Jonghyunnie drinks? _That’ll be even more pathetic and creepy_ and he doesn’t want to freak Jonghyun out—especially when the guy doesn’t look like he remembers him—which is sad to be honest but it’s okay, Jonghyun’s right here in front of him again, that’s all that matters.

“Again, the hell hyung?!” The other shrieks at him furiously.

“Hmm…Did you put something on it Binnie?” His Jonghyun says with a teasing tone that might be the cause of his death.

“Why the hell would I? This hyung is just spouting nonsense!” The other says abashed.

“I’m not, I definitely saw you put something in there.” He says firmly.

“How the hell would you see me when I was in the kitchen?!”

“I have... my ways.” He looks down feeling well—stupid.

“Do you have a _byakugan_ then?” Jonghyun asks him and he’s taken aback not because _his Jonghyunnie_ is looking at him so _sweetly and flirting(?)_ at him somehow, also not because he feels like he’s in cloud nine right now—yep definitely not that, but _byakugan_ seriously? He can’t believe his Jonghyun is…an _Otaku_.

“Uh-maybe?” Jonghyun laughs at him

“Of all the lines you have to say hyung, I can’t believe you used that _line_.” Hyunbin says crossing his arms on his chest.

“Why? I think I did great, look at him— _he’s blushing.”_ And his Jonghyun is right, he is.

“Can’t believe you fell for that line hyung.” The others says amused.

He shakes his head and looks away from _his smirking Jonghyunnie_ “I-I didn’t.” And he stammers. _Well—fuck_. He feels himself blush again.

“Yeah right.” The other says with a scoff.

“Stop making fun of him Binnie, and get me another drink.” His Jonghyunnie says brushing off the amused bartender.

“Fine. And you better not do something funny again hyung, we don’t have much of it.” Hyunbin glares at him before leaving

“You can sit here, if you want.” Jonghyun says patting the seat next to him.

“Y-yeah... I guess I will. Let me just get my stuff.” Jonghyun nods and he goes back to his seat putting everything into his bag and taking his drink with him. He goes back to Jonghyun's side within a minute because his Jonghyun might disappear if he takes too long.

“That was... fast?” The other says, surprised.

“Didn’t have much stuff.” He says with a shrug.

“Really?” Jonghyun asks him in a cute manner.

_Fucking calm down butterflies, I know it’s hard to calm down, but please do._

Hyunbin comes back with Jonghyun’s drink, gives him a warning not to do something weird and leaves them.

“Can I?” Jonghyun asks him before drinking

“I… I really don’t think you should drink that…”

“Why? Did you see Hyunbin put something here again?” He asks nodding towards where Hyunbin is, who’s preparing drinks for the other customers.

“No…but…”

“Do you wanna try it then?” Jonghyun says with a smile—that heavenly smile that he feels like his in _cloudnine._ “W-what?” He stammers _again_.

“The drink?” Jonghyun offers him his.

“S-sure...” he takes it. Wait. He sips again. This…isn’t? Another sip… can’t be but—“Is this…Chocolate Milk?” Jonghyun laughs

“Yes.”

“You’re—You’re drinking chocolate milk? Just chocolate milk? In a pub?!” He says taking a sip again—because maybe he got it all wrong, or he’s drunk again—but no it’s not.

“Well, I can’t get drunk again... right _Minhyun_?”

 

~

 

**_Don’t be a stranger in the morning Jonghyun-ah..._ **

_I won’t Minhyun._

_He answers in his sleep_

**_Let’s meet sober next time Jonghyun-ah…_ **

_We will, I promise._

 


	10. Somewhere in between

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get your milk tea ready, this is kinda long and like the last chapters' consists of different POV's XD
> 
> titles' from:  
> Lifehouse's Somewhere in between  
> Bruno Mars' Too good to say goodbye  
> Taylor Swift's Delicate  
> LANY's ILYSB

 

**_“Would you catch me if I fall out of what I fell in?”_**

**-Lifehouse | _Somewhere in Between_**

He’s at the bus stop waiting for the next to arrive. The rain looks like it won’t stop anytime soon and he sighs.

The rain reminds him so much of… Oh right, he has to change that—he goes through his contacts’ list only to be surprised to see a certain contact named _“Angel <3”. _

_“…Cute.”_ He smiles

He then types in Seongwu’s name to change it, but somehow it isn’t in his contacts anymore, Seongwu said he called him earlier… he then checks his call logs and surely, there’s one at 3 am that’s shows **[BLOCKED NUMBER]**

He snickers.

_“Isn’t it early to be possessive…Minhyunnie?”_

~

He walks in ThePub and sees his favorite dongsaeng mixing some drinks—probably one of his experiments again.

_“Boo!”_ he says surprising the tall guy

“Hyung! It’s been a long time!!” Hyunbin happily greets him with a hug.

_“I know, did you miss me Binnie?”_

“Of course hyung! How did your exams go?”

_“Horrible as usual.”_

“Eyy! Like you wouldn’t ace it anyway?”

_“I wish. It’s really hard this time, Binnie, I couldn’t even touch my precious mangas.”_

“That hard?!”

_“Yes.”_ he answers with a sniff

“Guess I have to make you some of your favorite then?”

_“You have it??”_

“Of course! Minki hyung called me earlier, well more like threatened me to have it ready tonight or he’ll make sure that I won’t see the light of the day.”

_Minki seriously…_ but he feels grateful for his best friend who’s always looking out for him and even threatening their other friends just to cheer him up even in the most simple things

_“….I’m sorry for that Binnie.”_

“No worries hyung, I’m used to it anyway. Now let me prepare the stuff! Be back in a few!”

_“Thanks!”_ he takes a seat in his usual spot in the bar and takes some of the manga that he was supposed to read yesterday. He then checks his phone to text Minki that he’s at ThePub now—or his so called “ _mum_ ” will get angry at him for not telling him that his “ _son_ ” arrived safely.

 

**WeeBugi:**

**_I’m at ThePub now mum,_ **

**_Thanks for threatening Hyunbin to get my fav._ **

**_Ps: Have fun with dad!_ **

 

**Choi Demon:**

**Good. You didn’t fell down going there right?**

**And your dad says hi!**

 

**WeeBugi:**

**_I actually…did_ **

 

**Choi Demon:**

**God, you’re so clumsy Jong!**

**This is why I said you should date Baekho!**

 

**WeeBugi:**

**_GIVE IT A REST._ **

 

**Choi Demon:**

**I ain’t giving up on that Jong!**

**Anyhoo, TTYL ILY <3**

 

**WeeBugi:**

**_Love you too_ **

**_Ps: use…*coughs* protection_ **

****

****

He was already in the middle of his manga when Hyunbin comes back from the kitchen with his drink and a basket of mojos—which is his favorite. He really have such great friends

“Here you go hyungie~”

_“I was wondering what took you so long! Thanks Binnie! Itadakimasu~~”_ he says before munching on the mojos

“Enjoy hyung~ I’ll leave you for now, call me when you need anything okay?”

_“Owkies~!”_

~

He’s on his 2nd manga when he hears Hyunbin talking loudly to one of the customers. He takes a look at the guy Hyunbin’s bantering with- _WAIT_.

He looks at the guy.

**“There’s a difference between a pub and club, Hyunbin.”** _Can’t be—_ he squints and rubs his eyes, maybe he read too much mangas, he takes a better look on the stranger.

“—You’re even our regulars!!!”

**“…sorry, but that’s the only business we could think of with that limited time.”**

The stranger, wait. His _Stranger_ says.

_Unbelievable._ He whispers, afraid that he’ll be heard by the stranger— _his stranger_ , to be exact.

_Did you guys planned this?_ He whispers at the ceiling. Because someone up there apparently decided to play _Cupid_ tonight. He glances at the two who are still bickering and somehow doesn’t notice him looking in their way.

_I can still escape, I’ll just text Hyunbin that I’ll wire him the money. Yes… yes I should do that._ He starts packing his things

Vivid images of Minhyun suddenly started flooding his mind.

_Minhyun carefully carrying him in the taxi so that his “sleep” won’t be disrupted._

_Him whining to be carried in the taxi and Minhyun-the angel actually does, even patting his back so that he could “sleep” again._

_Minhyun holding his hand as they went up_

_When he threw up all over them and Minhyun cleaning after him._

_Minhyun feeding him._

_Minhyun stopping him from getting hurt because of the mess he did in the bedroom._

_Him removing and throwing a tantrum so that Minhyun would remove—okay skip that._

_Minhyun singing him a lullaby._

_“Don’t be a stranger in the morning, Jonghyun-ah…”_ He sighs. _Minhyun really is an Angel._

He glances to his _‘Angel’_ and the guy looks so worn out—even with that handsome face. He keeps on sighing as he checks on his phone while waiting for his drink.

He sighs. He puts his bag down on the seat and takes out a manga.

_Happy?_  He says again to whoever Gods who decided to put them in one place tonight and decided to play _Cupid_.

_Get some Milk tea while you’re at it._ He whispers to the ceiling again.

Hyunbin is back with Minhyun’s drink and they start their bickering again. How the hell do they even know each other? This is too much of a coincidence.

He shakes his head. He needs to focus. _Now how to get his attention without being too obvious?_

“-what’s up with you and the hyungs?”

**“What do you mean?”**

_He can’t really just go to the guy’s side and announce his presence because that’s gonna be so weird and awkward. And that’s so not him either. Need another plan...hmmmm…_

**“—were here?”**

“I just told you.”

He looks at his now empty glass of _Chocolate Milk_. _Hmmm_ … _That’s not a bad idea… Okay I just need to time it right._

**“That’s weird…”**

“You guys are all weird to be honest.”

**“You rude—”**

_Perfect. “Hyunbinnie~~Can I have another glass?”_ He says loudly as he waves the glass to Hyunbin.

“Sure thing hyung!” Hyunbin says as he goes back to the kitchen leaving Minhyun

_“Thanks!”_ He says again louder. He opens his manga and pretends to read as he wait for Minhyun’s reaction.

He can feel him staring at him.

_Good. Now count to 5, 1 Squirtle, 2 Pikachus, 3 Charmanders, 4 Bulbasaurs, 5 Jigglypuffs._

He glances up then looks at his _Angel_ and _smiles_. Minhyun looks so dumbstruck and shocked that he’s gaping at him. He looks back down on his manga and giggles. _Cute._

Hyunbin comes back with his drink. He could still feel his Angel still staring at him. He takes the glass.

_This should do the trick right? Now come here Angel, because I don’t think I have the courage to go there._

He slowly raises the glass to his mouth paying attention to Minhyun’s movement on his side.

_Good. Minki would’ve been so proud of me if he’s here._

Minhyun stops him before he can even have a sip, his chocolate milk all over his pants and manga _(please forgive him Jang-gun nim, he doesn’t know how precious you are)_.

**“I-I’m very sorry—I didn’t mean to do that...”** Minhyun says panicky

_It’s okay Angel, My plan worked perfectly—well, aside from my manga getting Choco milk on them._

 

* * *

 

 

**_“Baby, ain't nobody gonna love me like the way you do,_ **

**_And you ain't never gonna find a love like mine.”_ **

**-Bruno Mars _| Too Good to say Goodbye_**

 

“Is that our son?” Aron says smiling at him

“Yup! How’d you know it was him?”

“You have your motherly smile while texting. Tell him I say hi!” He nods “How is he? Is he still hangover?”

He shrugs “He’s okay, he’s at his favorite place reading his mangoes.” Aron laughs

“What?” He asks raising his _perfectly lined_ brow

“You said mangoes...” The other says stifling a laugh.

“And?”

“It’s called Manga Ren-ah.” He rolls his eyes.

“Whatever.” He puts his phone back in his clutch bag and stands up to leave the café. Aron does the same. “Where to now?” he asks the other

“Hmmm. I don’t know?” Aron says as he takes his hand

“You don’t know? You’ve changed Aron ssi, you’re usually prepared when we go on dates.” He says with his brows raised

“Well, this date wasn’t supposed to be the only two of us, so I didn’t get to prepare much, my apologies Ren ssi...” Aron says with a smirk as he kisses his hand.

He tries not to smile and hide the butterflies in his tummy but—God—that smirk—that _heavenly playful smirk of Aron_ that got him into this mess when they met at a bar months ago.

“I won’t fall for that.” he says with a scoff

“Ohh! How about this then?” Aron says with puppy dog eyes and a pout.

_God this man—He really knows my weakness! Nope! Choi Minki, the legendary diva won’t fall for that either!_

He looks at Aron who’s still doing his pouty lips while shaking his head like—He giggles. So much for not falling for it Minki.

“Nope!” he says between giggles and walks faster leaving Aron behind.

“Ren-ah~~ don’t leave Arongie here~~ _”_ Aron cutely yells behind him

He couldn’t even yell back because he’s giggling too much. _God this man—what did he do to me? What happened to the usual cold and sassy Minki? The one who doesn’t even bat an eye to a guy who flirts on him? The one who doesn’t do dates? The one who thinks relationship are just games? The one who doesn’t fall for this childish acts and doesn’t fucking giggle like a school girl seeing his crush?_ He turns around to look back at Aron who’s walking and smiling so big a few meters behind him.

“Keep up old man!” he yells

_“I’m not—Ren!”_ He doesn’t even get to hear Aron’s warning as he bumps into someone, making him lose his balance and falling down on the street.

“-Ow!” the stranger—wait no. He knows that voice. He turns around and _fuck—He’s right._ “Minki…?”

“Cheol.” he says. He quickly looks behind him to look for Aron, but too late Aron’s already at his side looking worried and checking him if he sustained injuries.

_“Are you okay?”_ Aron asks worry all over his face checking on his knees.

“Aron hyung? **”** Cheol says looking at him and Aron confused.

He looks at Aron who’s now frozen in his spot, hand remained immobile on his shoulders, looking at him distraughtly.

_He knows._

_…Obviously._

He doesn’t need to be a genius to figure that out—especially looking at Aron’s expression.

_Guess it’s just not me who’s been lying the whole time._

He stands up with Aron (who somehow got his bearings back) helping him.

“Anyone care to expla—”

“Cheol! There you are!” _Great_. Now Jeonghan’s here too. He groans “Oh Min-I mean Ren!” Jeonghan says noticing that he’s with “ _Aron_ ”.

_Perfect_. _Just perfect._

“…Ren?” Cheol asks his boyfriend

“…Y-yeah?” Jeonghan says looking at him asking him what he should do—like he can do something about it. He just shakes his head at Jeonghan and Jeonghan gives him _did-I-fuck-it-up-look._

“H-how about we go somewhere we can uh…uhm… all talk?” Aron says at Cheol

Cheol just looks at both of them still confused and just shrugs “Fine.”

 

“Let’s uh go to that café there.” Aron says

“Sure. Lead the way _hyung_.” He can see Aron still when Cheol pointedly called him hyung. _Interesting_.

Aside from the fact that Aron knows Cheol and vice versa—He's not even surprised anymore, their families are way too connected with each other after all, and the fact that Aron knew what Cheol mean with just a single “ _hyung_ ” and what he’s implying with it, means he knows Cheol more than just an acquaintance.

~

“ _What the hell?_ Are you guys _stupid_ or _really just stupid?!_ ”

“Look Cheol—” Aron interrupts.

“Am I not?” Cheol says with a bite. He snickers.   _Very typical of Choi Seungcheol._

“ _This isn’t funny Minki. What the hell are you guys thinking?_ ” Cheol says, his voice raising—Cheol’s getting annoyed now. Can’t blame him though. “Did you even at least _think_ about what will happen if they found out about—”

“Well. I didn’t. It won’t last anyway.” He says taking a sip of his tea.

“Minki…” Aron says reaching for his hand

“So now you call me by my name?” He snaps

“I’m—”

“Sorry? For what? _Lying_? _Pretending_? _Playing this game this whole time?!_ ”

“Minki please…” Aron says pleading—squeezing his hand to calm him down _._ He pulls his hand away from the other’s cold hand. “When did you find out?”

Aron sighs “…the family dinner.” He laughs. Really laughs—so loud—that his eyes start tearing up

_How funny._ He remembers that day _oh-so-well_ because that’s also the day that he found out about Aron and how this _fucking relationship_ _cannot work and will never work._

“Minki please…” Aron pleads him to get ahold of his sanity—as if he can even do that when they’re _relationship is borderline insanity_ from the start.

“This is so funny.” He says in between laughs. He sees his cousin look at him and he laughs harder.

“Minki.” Cheol says with a warning

“Isn’t it funny though Cheol?” He asks, his voice filled with sarcasm.

“It’s not. If uncle finds out about this—”

“He won’t.” He says firmly.

Aron reaches for his hand again and he looks at him with a smirk. “Minki…”

“Stop calling my name Aron. It’s fucking irritating.”

Aron puts his face in his hand and groans—losing his patience. He stays like that for minutes,—groaning, pulling his hair— _he looks hot doing that by the way._

He looks at Cheol who gives him a _this-isn’t-a-game-you-should-be-playing_ glare and he just shrugs. He hears Aron sigh next to him, probably done getting all his shit together. Aron looks straight at him in a serious way that he had never seen before—as if they’re here to talk about business.

_So this is the KHK group’s heir, Kwak Aron._ He looks _hot_ with that _serious-business-face_ that he’s doing right now. He should’ve shown it to him before, maybe if he did, they’d probably—

“I think we should leave, it’s getting hot here babe, I can’t handle it anymore.” Jeonghan says dramatically fanning his face.

“It’s _summer_ Hannie, of course it’s _hot_.” Cheol says and Jeonghan rolls his eyes at how _obtuse_ his boyfriend is.

“How the hell did you put up with him?” He asks curiously. The other shakes his head and takes a sip of his _grapefruit tea._

“I’ve been asking myself that same question everyday Minki.” Jeonghan says resigned

“What question?” His obtuse cousin asks

“Never mind baby, you’ll just get hurt knowing the truth.” Jeonghan says patting Cheol’s hair.

He looks at the the couple who’s suddenly being _lovey-dovey_ with hearts in their eyes and he wants to throw up. “Ew—please get a fucking room.”

“Are you paying for it?” Cheol asks with a big grin that he sees for the first time tonight.

“Like you aren’t rich—”

“Let’s talk Minki.” Aron says interrupting them “Cheol, can you guys give us a few to talk privately?”

“Sur-”

“I don’t think that’s necessary.” He says taking a sip of his tea.

“IT IS.” Aron says with finality. _How dominant. He actually has it in him?_ Such a waste not to see before.

“We’ll I guess, leave now?” Jeonghan asks looking at him and tugging Cheol by his sleeves.

“No, STAY.” He says glaring at the couple.

“Minki.” His bea—ARON says more like a warning. He glares at him then and the other stands his ground. Well, let’s see who wins.

“I told you stop calling me that.” He says not looking away.

“Fine. Ren.” The other says with temper and he scoffs. Aron sighs and glances at the other couple whose back at sitting and trying their best to somehow look invisible, so they could talk privately—like that would even work.

“Ren…” Aron looks at him tiredly, his eyes so sad that he just wants to hug the other—no Minki, it’s too late for that. “I’m very sorry for—”

“Lying? I did the same.” He answers with a shrug, stirring his finished tea. “Still, let’s—”

_No Aron… no._

_Because, we can’t._

“End this now.” He says finishing the other’s sentence.

He glances at Aron and sees the hurt in his eyes.

_He wishes that he didn’t have to see it._

_That he didn’t have to be the cause of it._

_That they didn't have to go through this._

_But what’s the point on crying over spilled tea(?) when they both know that this is where they’re heading anyway._

_Is this how Seongwu felt when he chose that road? Looking at Jonghyun’s pleading eyes, watching the pain in his face as the other waits for him as he just stands there? Hurting him so much when he knows he can still change things if he just goes to him, but chose not to? Standing his ground, choosing the latter to protect Jonghyun even when he knows that it’ll be his destruction?_

_How Jonghyun felt today when he finally accepted that they can never go back to the way they are?  How he forgave himself and stopped blaming Seongwu for his faults? How he came to terms and let go of the other—even if he knows that it will—_

“Minki...” Aron says reaching for his hand… he can see Aron’s eyes getting teary and how he tries to hold it in… and he feels the same…

He looks away from Aron and sees Cheol looking at him, worry all over his face… realizing that he wasn’t playing a game with Aron—that Aron was different…

He can feel Aron’s hand on him…giving it a squeeze—like how he would always do when they’re together…

“I’m sorry.” he stands and leaves the café, not stopping when he hears Aron call after him, when Cheol and Jeonghan call after him, when he hears chairs moving and steps following.

He walks faster—never looking back. Taking a turn on the next alley and just kept walking faster and faster and faster— _never stopping_.

_He doesn’t know how long he’s been walking nor where he is._

He looks around and sees a park nearby, he walks again, taking slower steps this time and sits on the bench.

_Letting his tears fall down._

 

* * *

 

 

**_“Is it cool that I said all that?_ **

**_Is it chill that you're in my head?_ **

**_'Cause I know that it's delicate_ ** **.”**

**-Taylor Swift | _Delicate_**

“Well, I can’t get drunk again, right Minhyun?”

_His Jonghyun says with a smirk._

_He remembers…_

_…Everything._

 

“Minhyun? A-are you okay?”

_Jonghyun asks him._

_Shaking him lighty…_

 

“Minhyunnie??? Oh God.”

_Jonghyun looks worried now…_

_Well, it’s his fault for surprising him anyway._

 

“Hyunbin!!! Help me!!”

_Like Hyunbin could…_

 

“Why? Oh shit. What the hell happened to him?”

_Jonghyun happened Hyunbin, Jonghyun_

 

“I-I don’t know…I-I think I might have surprised him a bit…”

_His Jonghyun says looking distressed_

_He wants to comfort him,_

_But he can’t move_

 

“A bit? Then why does he look like a ghost?”

“I-I don’t…It’s all my fault…Just help me Binnie, please...” Jonghyun tells Hyunbin never looking away at him. He really looks worried now.

 

_Jonghyun’s holding his hand, massaging it gently…_

_He can stay like this forever._

 

Hyunbin sighs as he watches them, maybe wondering how he could help his poor Jonghyunnie.  

“Should I call his sister then?”

“DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE KWON HYUNBIN!!” Hyunbin laughs at him. “Glad you’re back hyung, Can I go back to work now?”

He nods and looks down on their hands, Jonghyun’s still holding it, which is good…despite the fact that he just… showed him that side of him that he’d rather not want Jonghyun to see.

“Hey, look at me…” Jonghyun says squeezing his hand.

“I am.” He answers with a beam.

“Cute.” His Jonghyun laughs and he can’t help but laugh at the _cute_ guy in front of him too.

~

They’ve been doing twenty questions for the last 30 minutes to get to know each other when Jonghyun’s phone suddenly rings

“I’m sorry, let me just—” Jonghyun says looking worried eyeing his phone.

“Sure! Go ahead! Take your time! But don’t take too long… No, I mean—” The other chuckles and _fuck_ —he’s attacked by an army of butterflies.

“I won’t. I promise.” Jonghyun says giving him that _sweet-sweet-oh-so-sweet-that’s-fucking-addicting-smile_ that he’ll probably have diabetes later.

“You’re whipped hyung.” Hyunbin states matter-of-factly. He looks at young bartender who’s giving him a knowing smile.

“Oh? You’re still here?”

“This is our pub hyung.”

“Is it?”

“Whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiped.” Hyunbin says in an annoying voice—he rolls his eyes and takes a sip of his _cola—_ just cola.

“Shut up—I’m not.”

“Then stop looking at him with hearts in your eyes.”

“Do you think he sees that when he looks at me?” He asks scared that it might overwhelm Jonghyun.

Hyunbin looks at him astounded and shrugs “Daniel hyung was right when he said that you’re the craziest among the three of you.”

“Excuse me? I’m so not!”

“What a waste, with that visual of yours… such a waste…” Hyunbin says shaking his head

“Take that back Kwon Hyunbin!” He yells at the other fuming.

“Take what back?” Oh he’s back. He quickly changes to a smile making Jonghyun chuckle again. He beams more.

“That he’s—” this annoying brat. He pulls Jonghyunnie and the other looks at him confused

“Jonghyunnie, have you watched Naruto? Who do you like the most there? I like Kakashi!!” Hyunbin scoffs and Jonghyun laughs that _addicting-cute-adorable-rainbows-and-butterflies_ laugh of his.

“Fine, I won’t ask anymore. And I like…uh Naruto, I guess?”

“Naruto? That’s like Baekho. You can’t like Naruto Jonghyunnie!”

“Come to think of it… it does kinda resemble him… I always thought he kinda looks like Thor with that big body of his…” His Jonghyun says mulling.

“ _Thor? Baekho?_ That guy’s so far from Thor Jonghyunnie, trust me. He’s like a _princess_ , and he’s into _hello kitty_.” He says with his puppy smile

“What?” Jonghyun says laughing so hard at what he said

“And now he says shit about his brother…” Hyunbin says wiping the wine glasses.

“Wasn’t lying though.” He says glaring at the brat.

“Sure Jan.” Jonghyun says between laughs

“I’m not—you can even ask him, or better yet check his room he has a ton of—” he sees Jonghyun bend over laughing and he loves the sound of it—not too loud nor to quiet but _just perfect_ , as if you’re hearing cherubs singing—makes you feel calm… makes you feel safe… _makes you feel that you’re in the right place_.

“Stop, I’m imagining him and—”

“I’m serious.” He wants to say firmly but he can’t especially when he sees the other smiling and laughing so heavenly.

“Sure.” Jonghyun says catching his breath after laughing so much “Uh…phew. I-I’m sorry to say this, but I kinda have to leave now...” The other says apologetically.

“…Oh.”

“Yeah…I’m sorry...” Jonghyun says looking really sorry and a bit sad.

“It-it’s okay… I guess…” he looks down “Is…is it because of the call?” He asks looking at Jonghyun

“Yeah…A friend of mine…uh. Needs some help right now.” Jonghyun says suddenly looking worried

“Is it… him?” he doesn’t want to know but he actually does… “Him?” Jonghyun asks him

He looks down—well it’s too late to take it back now. “ _Greek Seal_...” He mumbles

“Oh...” he looks up and sees Jonghyun’s brows furrow— _he messed it up, didn’t he? He should have just kept quiet._

He watches the other who suddenly looks somber, biting on his lower lip, his thumb pinching his fingers. _Nice Hwang Minhyun. You really ruined everything now. Congratulations._

He looks up to his face again, and he sees hurt and sadness pass by as he tries his best to hide. He wants to hug and console Jonghyun—tell him everything will be okay, and do everything in his power to make him forget whatever that _fucking My-Greek-Seal- <3 _did to him.

Jonghyun looks up and smiles at him—but this time it doesn’t reach his eyes… and he looks so tired.

“No, it’s not him... after all, you told him that we’re dating.” Jonghyun says teasingly, back to how he is earlier.

“I…I did, did I?”

“Not even gonna deny it?” The other says with a smirk.

“Uh…should I?”

“No, too late to deny it anyway.” Jonghyun says pinching his cheeks as he stands up “Anyway, I have to go now. I’ll text you later then, Angel.”

“What-I-I don’t know what you mean.” He says feeling small and _very very embarrassed._

“It’s not you?” The other asks putting his backpack on.

“Uh N-no?” Jonghyun clicks his tongue and takes out his phone “I’m gonna delete his number then.”

“It’s me!!!” He says too loud—stopping the other in deleting his number— _God, he is pathetic._

“I know.” Jonghyun smirks at him and leaves.

He hears the bells on the door ring as Jonghyun leaves the pub.

He sighs. His time with his Jonghyunnie was too short and he doesn’t know when he’ll ever see him again.

His phone vibrates and sees a text message:

 

**_My Jonghyunnie <33333_ **

 

**_I had fun tonight Angel._ **

**_See you again soon._ **

**_-Jonghyunnie_ **

 

He smiles

_Maybe he’ll see him again soon after all._

* * *

 

 

**_“And you need to know, you're the only one alright, alright…_ **

**_And you need to know, that you keep me up all night, all night…”_ **

**-LANY | _ILYSB_**

 

“Seriously Niel?” He says pouncing on the bar—surprising his cousin that almost drops a bottle of vodka.

“What?!” The other asks furious

“What’s with the song?!”

“What’s wrong with _LANY’s ILSYB?!_ ”

He breathes out and stares at his cousin “…This is a club Niel.”

“And the club is _enjoying_ it right now—look.” Daniel says, nodding to the dancefloor.

He scoffs. Of course they will. Their customers are slow dancing in the dance floor—like it’s prom night.

“Change it later.” He orders the other.

“Of course. I’m not stupid to play 1 song the whole night hyung.” The other says rolling his eyes—not getting the point.

“I mean the genre. Stop playing stupid.” He tells him pointedly. Daniel glares at him “I’m not gonna ruin the mood here _hyung_.”

“This isn’t prom Niel. This is a fucking club.” He says with a gritted smile.

“Then you change it! Since you’re such a party pooper!”

“How can I change the song when everyone’s like that?!” He tells him waving at the club

Daniel—his brat of a cousin at times—smiles at him victoriously and he groans. “My point. Exactly.”

“You better change that before I come back.” He warns and turns away.

His cousin reaches on his shoulders and stops him in place “Where you going?” The other asks concern all over his face.

“Just gonna take a… breather.” He shrugs

“Right.” Niel says rolling his eyes “You know that smoking isn’t good for your health right?”

“What we’re offering isn’t good for the health either brother. Change the damn music before I get back.”

“Fine!” Niel says exasperatedly

He walks out of the club and goes straight at the designated smoking area at the side.

He wasn’t a smoker before and he wasn’t even a fan of smoking—he never understood why people smoke to relieve stress, until he tried it, that is.

He lights his cigarette and looks at the stars—a habit he now has after spending so much time with— _“Daehwi-yah, you said you’re gonna treat us tonight!”_

He stiffens. _That_ _name_ … he hasn’t heard of _that name_ for so long.

_“I never said that I’m gonna treat you to a club.”_ _That voice… it can’t be… right?_

He looks at the group of friends in front of their club.

And it’s _him_ …

… _Daehwi_

 

_“But you said—”_

“Enough kids. Can you not fight in front of the club? People are looking at us now.”

_“Fine.”_ Daehwi says with his sassy tone

_“Can we go in now then?”_

_“Still not gonna pay for all the drinks.”_ Daehwi says with his sassy—unbothered face and he smiles. _You’re still the same Daehwi… you’re still the same._

“Let’s just all split the bill okay?” The alpaca looking one says.

_“But hyung!!!”_

“Enough. Let’s just go in, after all we’re here to celebrate Daehwi getting back on his first love, which is music~” he hears a groan coming from Daehwi who’s he’s sure is embarrassed with all the attention that he’s getting “and even a scholarship!”

_“Hyung stop it—you’re embarrassing me.”_ He smiles. _Still predictable as always._

“I’m just proud of you, now shall we?”

_“We shall~~”_ the younger one says as they go inside of the club

Daehwi stays for a bit and looks around maybe feeling that someone was watching him. He quickly moves back so that he won’t see him.

He counts to fifty and takes a peek to check if Daehwi’s still there.

_Sadly he’s not there anymore,_

_Just like how he is for the last 2 years._

 

 He takes his phone out and dials Daniel’s number

**“I change the song hyung, no need to—”**

“Daehwi’s inside.”

**“Inside what?”**

“The club Niel. Where else?”

**“…Are you fucking serious?”**

“Would I joke about it?” He hears his cousin sigh and he chuckles.

**“You’re…right.”**

“Anyway… don’t let them pay… and don’t let him know that—”

**“I know hyung… don’t worry… you’re okay, right?”**

“I’ll be fine…”

**“Guess you’re not going back here anymore?”**

“No… You can handle everything there right?”

**“Yeah…Don’t worry about it.”**

“And Niel…”

**“What?”**

“Play _ILYSB_ again.” He hears Daniel laugh at the other end and he can’t help but laugh too.

**“Sure hyung.”** He hangs up and lights another cigarette.

 

_Nice to see you again Daehwi…_

_I’m glad that you’re back on track again._

He smiles as he looks up at the night sky.

 

* * *

 

 

**_ Epilogue _ **

 

He walks inside _ThePub_ and receives a welcoming scoff from Hyunbin

“Way to welcome your customers Hyunbin.”

Hyunbin just shakes his head and continues to clear the table “I can’t believe you’re here too.”

“What do you mean?” He asks

“Go to the bar and see.”

 

“The fuck?” Minhyun turns around to give him a glare. He takes a sit next to Minhyun, who’s now in between him and their hyung.

“What’s with the fucking glare?” he asks, apparently the fox isn’t in a good mood again.

“Oh” *sniffs* “Dongho-yah…” *sniffs* “You’re here too?” Aron says in between sniffs as he takes a peek on him.

Their hyung look like _shit_? Eyes red from… _crying? Why is someone always crying every day?!_

“Y-yeah hyung?” he looks at Minhyun and mouths _what-the-hell-happened_ but before even Minhyun get to reply their hyung beat him to it.

“Oh nothing much Dongho… Ren… My Ren… My Minki—” *sniffs* “Just broke up with me.”

“What? Why?! And Minki??”                                                                                       

"Oh…Nothing much really, it’s just that he found out that I—”

“Don’t tell me that it’s because of…uh…your virginity hyung?”

“Unbelievable.” Minhyun says looking like he’s the dumbest person on earth

“What!” He snarls at the other.

“Oh my God… I’m really going to die a virgin now…” their hyung wails on the table.

“Nice Job Dongho.” Minhyun says patting their hyung’s back.

_“What?!”_

 


	11. It's still beautiful

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the ARen/RonRen shippers out there and for Aron-this ship’s president (kidding-not really lol)  
> Title's from Highlight's its still beautiful  
> highly recommended while reading and get your Milk tea—you might need it :)

[Chapter 11](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14845982/chapters/36062538): It's still beautiful

 

**_“From the start, your heart was too beautiful for me to have,_ **

**_The times I spent with you, all of it was beautiful.”_ **

**-Highlight | _It’s still Beautiful_**

 

_He’s gonna be late._

_He’s fucking gonna be really late—and his father who rarely gets mad at him would really be furious with him if he doesn’t arrive there in 15 minutes._

_After all, this isn’t just a normal family dinner and the fact that he was already told a hundred times—not exaggerating here, that he can’t be fucking late._

_He curses at himself for not checking the time because of a certain someone._

_God—If only he wasn’t too fucking preoccupied with Aron, he’d probably notice the time and he wouldn’t be in this predicament, but the stupid him—well not really stupid._

_He’s not fucking stupid, right? Because stupid means well—stupid, and he doesn’t think he’s stupid—but then why is he like that when it comes to Aron? What does Aron have that makes him…uh? What’s the word for that? Forget things? Not really the right word but…_

_He takes his phone out to call his smart-ass best friend._

**_“What.”_ ** _the other says_

_“What do you call someone uh who’s like—I don’t know?”_

**_“What the hell does that even mean.”_** _Jonghyun says over grunts and gunshots._

_“I don’t know how to explain it.”_

**_“Then call me when you know—I’m busy.”_ **

_“You’re just playing Overload!!! And I’m here having a midlife crisis!!”_

**_“It’s Overwatch dummy and what’s new with that.”_ **

_“Just answer me!”_

**_“You don’t even know your question so how can I answer—Oh shit”_ **

_“What?”_

**_“We fucking lost.”_ **

_“Seriously Jonghyun?!”_

**_“Yeah.”_** _He hears shuffling in the background and Jonghyun walking **“So what’s your midlife crisis tonight? Aren’t you supposed to be at the ‘meet the Kwak’s’?”**_

_“I’m still on the road.”_

**_“You’re gonna be late and uncle’s gonna kill you.”_ **

_“I know.”_

**_“So that’s your crisis?”_ **

_“No.”_

**_“Then what is it?”_** _he hears the fridge door open and close_

_“What do you call a person who’s like uh—interested? Like let’s say kinda captivated? But not? Since captivated is too strong, so cancel that—but he kinda uh—like he tends to forget things? I mean not the forgetful kind but it’s just uh… it’s like when he’s with that person everything—Uh like he can’t seem to—”_

**_“Are you in love with someone?”_ **

_“HELL NO!!”_

**_“Sure Minki. Whatever floats your boat.”_ **

_“I don’t have a boat though?” He hears Jonghyun groan and some knocking sounds like someone is hitting the wall “Are you still there???”_

**_“Uh-huh I’m just hitting my head on the cabinet.”_ **

_“Why would you even do that?”_

**_“…You don’t want to know. So is that it?”_ **

_“You didn’t answer my question though?”_

**_“I actually did—and you said ‘HELL NO’.”_ **

_“But that wasn’t an answer that was a question.”_

**_“…………….”_ **

_“Just tell me the right word for it Jonghyun. I’m dying here.”_

**_“You won’t die just because of that.”_ **

_“Trust me I will.”_

**_“Fine, since you said you aren’t ‘in love’ then maybe infatuated? Smitten? Whipped?”_ **

_“FUCK.”_

**_“WHAT NOW”_ **

_“N-Nothing… I’ll call you later Jonghyun”._

**_“Yah Choi Min—”_ ** _He hangs up the call._

 

_Fuck._

_I’m whipped._

_The Legendary Choi Minki is actually WHIPPED._

 

**~Present~**

 

_“Cheol?”_

**_“Actually it’s Hannie…”_ **

_“Han? What’s up? Is something—”_

**_“It’s Minki...”_ **

_“What? What happened??”_

**_“It’s—uh...look—the thing is...”_ **

_“Is Minki alright?? Did he get hurt? But isn’t he supposed to be with Aron right now?”_

**_“N-no he didn’t get hurt—physically I guess… but…”_ **

_“What are you talking about?”_

**_“Just get here Jong. Minki needs you right now.”_ **

_“O-okay where exactly are you guys?”_

**_“I’ll text you the location.”_ **

_“Okay.”_

_~_

He sees Jeonghan pacing at the entrance of the park. “Han-ah…” he calls out the other, Jeonghan doesn’t seem to hear him, still busy pacing and biting his thumb every now and then, he walks to the other stopping him from doing another round of pacing “Jeonghan” the other stills and looks so dreary which is so out of character of him.

“Jonghyun…”

“What happened? Where’s Minki?”

“He’s… He’s there at the other side…”

“Then why are you here?”

“I…I was waiting for you…” Jeonghan says as he bites his lips and looks down

“Who’s with Minki?”

“Cheol…and Aron…” Hannie answers but never looks up.

So that’s why… he already has a gut feeling on his way here that it’s related to Minki and Aron… And now seeing Jeonghan like this it only confirms it—especially since Jeonghan isn’t usually like this but exactly the same as his demon best friend.

He takes Jeonghan’s hand and gives it a squeeze to let him now that whatever’s happening will be okay. Jeonghan finally looks up and gives him a sad smile.

“It’ll be okay Hannie…don’t worry…It’s Minki after all…” he says as they start to walk

“I wish you’re right Jonghyun…” Hannie says looking down again

“It’ll be okay... so tell me what happened Han...”

Jeonghan stops walking and sighs “Cheol and I…bumped into Minki and Aron…”

~

 “It’s not your fault Han-ah… it was never your fault in the first place.” He says to Jeonghan

“I know but it feels like my fault… If I didn’t ask Cheol to go to that restaurant, we won’t bump into them…and—”

“Let’s say that really happened Han-ah, but someday, someone would still see them, and I think that it’s better that it’s you guys. What if it’s Minseok hyung? Or worse Uncle and Auntie?” he says squeezing Hannie’s hand. He can see Cheol sitting on a nearby bench but no Aron in sight.

“…I guess you’re right.”

“Stop blaming yourself okay? Minki probably knows this will happen sooner or later.” Jeonghan doesn’t answer and just gives him a nod. They reached Cheol who stands up and hugs his boyfriend like they haven’t seen each other for a year—he can’t help but roll his eyes.

“Where’s Minki?” He asks.

“He’s at the bench there.” Cheol says pointing at the clearing part of the park— _very typical_ of Minki when he wants to be alone and cry it all out. “…Aron?”

“He should be somewhere near there…”

“I’ll go get Minki…You guys should head home first…”

“We’ll just wait here.” Cheol says firmly.

He shakes his head “Cheol.”

“He’s my cousin and best friend too Jonghyun.”

“Fine. How about you guys head to our apartment instead?”

“Okay. We’ll get some ice cream then.”

“Pizza too.” Cheol rolls his eyes at him “Kay. Same code?”

“Yeah.” He says as he starts walking to where Minki is.

 

It’s gonna be a long night.  He sighs. He should’ve known that whatever Minki was hiding from him before was this big— _really big._ To be honest, he probably have known all along, the signs were all there—Minki asking him _weird-out-of-nowhere-questions_ , Minki being busy with someone that he doesn’t know then after a few months Minki’s suddenly somehow in a relationship— _When Minki doesn’t do relationships_. How Minki _nonchalantly_ talks about Aron and how at the same time he always broods after going out with him—after being so happy on telling him how Aron took him to this and how a dork the guy is.

He should’ve known all along and he hates the fact that Minki didn’t confide on him and told Jeonghan everything instead… Cheol must’ve felt the same, seeing how he suddenly use the “ _best friend card”_ out of nowhere… he must feel upset on how their so-called best friend hidden these things from them… yet he can’t blame Minki… If Minki told him the situation he was in… he sighs again.

If he’s in Minki’s shoes, his best friend probably thought that he’ll stop him… but he’s wrong. He’s tired of all these _family-business-crap_ and his best friend deserves to be happy and he’ll do everything to give him that.

He’s almost at the clearing and he can see Minki’s silhouette on a bench a few meters away and Aron leaning on a tree at the edge of the clearing… eyes downcast—looking forlorn…

He suddenly remembers the conversation that he and Minki had before…They were in the middle of watching Avengers in their living room having their usual Chicken and beer when Minki suddenly asked him about Seongwu all of a sudden and very out of nowhere.

_“Have you ever thought… of uh… If—let’s say ‘IF’ okay? Don’t get me wrong”_ _Minki suddenly carefully asks him and he nods giving him the signal to continue “You and Seongwu are still together?”_

_“What do you mean?”_

_“I mean let’s say things… didn’t happen?”_ _Minki asks him very carefully_

_“And?” he asks after taking a sip of his beer_

_“I mean, let’s just say what happened didn’t happen, you and Seongwu would probably still together right…?”_ _the other asks now facing him._

_“Yeah… I guess…why’d you ask though?”_

_“Then… everything will work out right?”_ He nods _“Even if your parents… let’s say your parents would… you know… won’t like the idea?”_

_“Again, what do you mean?” he eyes Minki, who’s organizing his thoughts_

_“I mean… what would you do if your parents opposed?” his parents opposed? Why would they even oppose to Seongwu? His mother adores Seongwu so much, and his dad—though he doesn’t show it much, but he sees the fatherly smile on his face whenever Seongwu talks and shows fascination on medical-related stuff._

_“Is this really about me and Ong?”_

_“Yes. I’m just curious…” he shakes in laughter—really Minki? Can’t he even come up with a better excuse?_

_“You got curious while we’re watching Avengers?” He tells him with a snort_

_“Just answer the damn question Squirtle!” the other snaps_

_“Fine. But I doubt? They’ve been completely enamored with Seongwu...”_

_“Oh…I forgot about that…”_ _Minki says, biting his lip mulling over something “But how’d you think they’ll react?” the other asks again with so much curiosity which is really weird—is he dating someone? He glances at the other, trying to read his face but all he can see is curiosity? There’s something going on that the demon isn’t telling him…_

_“Probably happy?” he shrugs remembering how his mom would often ask him before if they’re finally dating and he just answers with a shrug—making him mom pout and whine on how he’s being mum about and not letting her hold a dinner party for Seongwu and his relationship. “Though I’m not sure if Dad’s side would be too… you know how they are, despite me pursuing med school and everything…” he looks back to the movie—not wanting to relinquish on the memories and the what if’s. He hears Minki sigh and he raises his brows at the other._

_“Thank God our fam’s in the business industry or I would have passed out every fucking day just by seeing blood.”_ _Minki says with relief.  Relief for what?_

 

_“And again for the nth time Demon, why did you ask?”_

_“Like I said, I’m just curious. So between Thor and Captain America, who would you—”_

_“Thor of course.”_

 

He now wonders if Minki asked him that before he found out about Aron…or even when he found out about it… Whatever it is… Minki really must’ve like Aron…big time—to even ask him that.

“Hey.” He says to Aron

“JR…”

“It’s Jonghyun.” He says with a smile

“Uh-yeah…Jonghyun…” the other says looking down

“I’ll take it from here...”

“I—I want to stay…”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea right now…”

Aron sighs and looks over his shoulder “…I know…but…I can’t just…”

“I’m here…You don’t need to worry.”

“I didn’t mean it that way….”

“I know…okay how about this, give me your number and I’ll call you if he—”

“Y-yes…I really would appreciate that—but can I just stay? Just until you guys leave this place?” Aron asks him pleadingly

“Okay…but please make sure Minki doesn’t see you okay?”

“Yes…I’ll stay there so that you won’t see me…even when you leave.” Aron says pointing at the left side of the clearing. Now he feels bad…so bad because of the situation these two are in… they exchange their numbers and he pats Aron’s back to somehow comfort the other guy because that’s the only thing he can do right now.

“I’ll go rescue the damsel in distress now.” He says with a smirk

“Please take care of him for me…Jonghyun…”

“I will. Don’t worry.”

~

“Hello there our dear damsel in distress, I come to rescue you from this—uh clearing?” he says as he sits next to Minki

“What fucking took you so long Squirtle?! The mosquitoes have been feasting on me! Just look at my fucking arms!!! Do you see this?!” Minki angrily says at him in a hushed voice as he shoves his arm in his face. He rolls his eyes at his best friend and takes his hand, interlacing their fingers

“Well I would be here sooner if someone didn’t text me to bring a specific make-up-remover—which by the way was so hard to find—” he says pointedly looking at Minki who somehow can’t look at him now “—and I have to…uh…console everyone on my way here…”

Minki sighs and looks down on their hands “Jeonghan is blaming himself right now huh?”

“He is…”

“It’s not his fault though.”

“I told him that.”

“It’s his boyfriend’s fault.”

“Are you fucking serious?” he looks at Minki completely astounded on how he can blame Cheol in this situation

“Yes.” Minki says point-blankly

“You know if there’s someone at fault here—it’s you and Aron.”

“I know. I just want to blame Cheol. It’s easier that way.” Minki sighs again and leans his head on his shoulder. He puts his arm on the other’s shoulders.

“Are Cheol and Hannie?”

“They left…and probably on their way to our place now…”

“Cheol pulled the ‘best friend card’ again huh?”

“Can you blame him though? You literally told Jeonghan everything and he feels betrayed by that…You know how sensitive he is in being left out on things when it comes to us especially after the move and yet, you did that. If you were Cheol, how would you feel?”

“Like shit of course…But If I told you guys…would you understand? Cheol might—given his relationship with Jeonghan, but… their situation is not the same as… what I have with Aron. His brother’s not gonna marry Jeonghan’s sister and oh—Jeonghan isn’t fucking engaged.”

“WHAT?!”

“Keep it down!” Minki says in a hushed voice as he looks back

“The fuck Minki?! Aron’s fucking engaged?!”

 “Hannie didn’t tell you that?”

“Would I fucking ask if he told me?!”

“You have a point there.” Minki says sheepishly and he groans and buries his face in his hands because this situation is messier and complicated than he ever imagined.

“He’s still here…isn’t he?” Minki whispers

“Yes.”

“You should’ve told him to go home.”

“I did...but he doesn’t want to.”

“You should’ve done better in convincing him to go home then.”

“WHY DON’T YOU FUCKING DO IT—SINCE YOU WOULD PROBABLY DO BETTER THAN ME.” He says losing his patience

“I would—if I didn’t fucking look like a raccoon right now.”

“Cut the crap Minki, you probably couldn’t even look at him right now without your walls breaking down.” Minki just sighs and pulls him back so he can lean on his shoulder again

“I got it bad Jonghyunnie. Really bad—I never expected that I’ll feel this way…we didn’t even have sex—and I still have it bad. Can you believe that?”

“The sex part?”

“Seriously Jonghyun?” he snorts. He hugs Minki closer to him and rubs his back

“I know you got it bad…I’ve probably known all along…but the point is…well shit—when Hannie told me everything earlier I thought… his sister being engaged with your brother isn’t really gonna be a big problem—well actually it will be a big problem…But I don’t know maybe we can work things around it somehow and maybe we can make this relationship work even with that…Auntie and Uncle wouldn’t… Actually they would probably make a fuss on it—well Uncle will be furious as hell—but he’ll give in if he sees that it makes you happy—though I have no idea on Aron’s side since their family’s…” He shakes his head since he can’t find the words how to say it nicely Minki nods beside him understanding the things he can’t say

“…But Aron being engaged Minki—that’s a fucking big issue, and I’ve heard things on how strict their family is in regards of keeping their family line/ties—whatever you call it—intact with their corporation that’s why I was worried when your brother said that his girlfriend is from the Kwak family and he wants to marry her—and this…this changes a lot of things and I don’t think we can…I just don’t know how we can...”

“I know… that’s why I’m doing this now…But wow Kim Jonghyun, I’m touched? I didn’t know you’re considering that…and thank you… and how’d you know so much on the Kwak’s? I already know you’re so fucking smart, but this? Did you study Chaebol 101?”

“Yeah. I usually read those books before I sleep.” He flicks Minki on the head and he receives a pinch on his side in return. “Point is dummy—“ he sighs “—I I don’t even know what the point is.”

“Me neither.” They sigh at the same time which made both of them chuckle. He shakes Minki’s hair and gives his hand a squeeze he can feel Minki smiling on his shoulder

“How’d you know he was engaged anyway?”

“The one he was engaged with was someone I know…”

“What?”

“She goes to our old university.”

“And?”

“Greek Seal introduced me to her.”

“Seongwu?”

“Uh-huh.”

“How?”

“I don’t know—I never asked how they know each other and this was when we’re still in that uni…”

“I wasn’t asking about that, but how’d you know that she was engaged with Aron?”

“We were talking about some stuff and Seongwu suddenly teased her on how she’s engaged to a certain big shot Kwak that she should introduce to him soon—I didn’t know that it was Aron at that time—I didn’t even know Aron before then. Then during that family dinner…”

“I thought it was cancelled?”

“…It wasn’t…I just didn’t show up…”

“So that’s why uncle suddenly took your cards away…”

“Uh-huh and thanks—if not for you I would probably be dead by now.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“True—they won’t let their precious son die just like that.”

“…enough about that so? What happened during the family dinner…?”

“I…I was talking to Cheol on the phone so that we could meet at the lobby when I bumped into her at the entrance of the hotel… She remembered that I was Seongwu’s friend and we chatted for a bit… I found out then that she was there to accompany someone so I teased her if it was her fiancé and she just smiled…We parted ways then…”

“I was still waiting for Cheol at the lobby because I don’t want to go inside alone when I saw her again… She was talking with hyung’s girlfriend and it seems like they were waiting for someone so I was about to go to them when I saw hyung and Aron walking towards them…”

“…At first I wasn’t sure that it was him…because it can’t be right? I was with him an hour before that—and that was too much of a coincidence oh—and the fact that he isn’t fucking straight. But surprise surprise it was Aron and he even fucking held her hand like how he would hold mine. ” Minki scoffs

“The next thing I knew I was in front of Jeonghan’s place and have a hundred missed calls from hyung and Cheol…”  Minki says looking apologetic because he didn’t go to him instead

“It’s okay…I understand…” He says as he comforts his best friend. How typical of Minki to feel bad that he didn’t confide in him when he has a big problem of his own.

“…But why didn’t you end it then? After knowing all of that?”

“…I was about to…I even fucking planned what I would do to him…Jeonghan and I even made a fucking list of things to do to make his life a living hell…but the moment I saw him the next day… everything just…” Minki says biting his lip stopping himself from crying

“…He was just standing there Jonghyun-ah…He was just fucking standing there leaning to his fucking BMW at our fucking uni’s parking lot like any normal person would do but I—fuck.”

“It’s okay Minki…it’s okay…” he says as he comforts the other

“Everything that I wanted to do—every fucking thing that I wanted to say just left me—and I just stood there—just fucking stood there watching him bite his lip over and over again—watching how his brows furrow, watching as his eyes crinkle when he looks up at the sky—and fuck all the anger that I should be feeling—it was like it was never even been there in the first place.”

“I realized then that you were right and I was already fucking in love—and I can’t do anything about it anymore…that I’d rather get played on and continue whatever game we were playing than never see him again.”

“I was worried of course—I was scared as hell… Every fucking moment that I spend with him I was so happy but there’s always a part of me that always asks until when would this last? That what if tomorrow he’ll know who I am? What if tomorrow he’ll grew tired of me? What If he’ll realize that he’s better off with the other? What if our parents find out? What if he’ll leave me all of a sudden? Will I be able to handle it? Those fucking ‘what-ifs’ were eating me up—and maybe he noticed that because he would suddenly hold my hand tight when I’m being quiet… or he would show up at uni—just to give me a hug—because he thought I need it and months passed by like that and the things that I’ve waited to happen never happened and all there is are happy beautiful memories but you know what’s funny? I’ve realized now that after that family dinner, things have changed between us… I didn’t notice the little things that change in him until now—how he treated me better than before…how he always makes me laugh and smile and happy even with the little things…how he tried his best every single time that we’re together making the most out of it… And I probably knew all along—because I was doing the same—even with those nasty dark thoughts of mine… We already know how it’ll end and both of us decided to make the most out of it until it lasts-making each other happy in our own different way—and now… I’m just scared Jonghyun… I always knew that this day will come and I’m not afraid of how our family will react when they find out about this…I’m afraid…I’m afraid that…I can’t stop myself to be with him.”

“Minki…”

“And I know I shouldn’t do that—I can’t do that…not because of our family but because of him…When I found out everything about him—I thought he was just here to play games—that maybe he was bored—or he needed a breather out of his fiancée and maybe I was that…But as time passed by…I realized that it wasn’t like that for him…and he feels the same way that I do… But he doesn’t need to be in this mess because of me… He deserves someone better Jonghyun and I know that someone is already by his side…that someone who won’t complicate his life, he deserves the world and I just hope that he won’t be too hang up on this…that he’ll move on sooner and go back to his life before he met me.” He hugs Minki tighter than before and pats him in the back. It hurts him to see Minki this way…Minki’s always been selfless—and would always put other’s first before himself…it’s just that he never imagined that it’ll be like this—that his best friend who finally learned to love someone has to go through this and now seeing him being like this for Aron…he can’t help but feel proud and yet pained at the same time…Aron changed him in a way… he broke his walls...the walls that no one—aside from them can break. He can feel the pain that Minki’s feeling right now and it hurts him that he can’t do anything to ease the pain makes it worse.

“Just promise me one thing Jonghyun-ah.” He sighs and nods waiting for whatever Minki wants him to promise… because that’s the only thing he could do to help him now. “Whatever happens, don’t let me get back to him again.”

“Minki…”

“Just promise me that Jonghyun.”

“But you love him.” He says as he looks at Minki.

“I do. And I wish I told him that.”

“Don’t worry…I think he knows.”

 Minki shrugs and leans back to the bench looking at the night sky “Still. I wish I told him.”

They stay silent like that for some time…just looking at the night sky…staring at the moon and stars.

He thinks back to his relationship with Seongwu, he knows that he was in love with him and happy… but he can’t help but question himself now if it he really truly love the other… he looks at Minki who’s still looking at the night sky (probably building his walls again) and he can’t help but think that maybe…it wasn’t… or it was or… he doesn’t know now…because if it was why didn’t he… why didn’t he try and understand what’s happening with Seongwu? He let his insecurities get the best of him—dragging it for too long, making Seongwu suffer more… and just leaving it hanging… and even today, when he finally got the courage to talk to Seongwu… he still didn’t ask for his side… and just said what he wants to say, thinking that a closure is what they need… without talking about what went wrong… why things went downhill… why the other had to do that… Not understanding him again… like how he did a year ago… unlike Minki who decided to leave Aron for his own good… How his best friend clearly understand Aron… He feels bad on how he treated Seongwu…on how he got so immersed with his own demons and insecurities that he didn’t even think about how Seongwu feels…and now he feels guilty about it…because he knows—even though Seongwu did that… he loved him so much… gave him the whole world… hell—even Aron who’s engaged got better treatmen-

Minki nudges him disrupting his thoughts “Y-yeah?”

“Give me my make-up remover Squirtle. I need to make sure I don’t look like a raccoon when we leave this place.”

He laughs.

The walls are back.

_I guess the drama is over—for now._

 


	12. Ribbons and Butterflies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of flashbacks and the present.  
> Aron’s side of the story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all edited chapters are up~   
> and again, please get your milk teas,  
> I thought i'll never go in to the feels on this chap again but I was wrong :(
> 
> see you in the next chap~ hopefully soon XD

 

_We’ve come undone,_ but I want to prettily tie us back together;

_With all our strength, we can both pull,_

_So our love can be tied into a knot again_.”

**-Beast | _Ribbon_**

_“…And he said ‘I won’t be late, promise’” His soon to be brother-in-law teasingly greets him in a bear hug_

_“I know, I’m sorry.” He says apologetically_

_“Nah—it’s okay, you’re not the only one who's late. Sujin’s already here by the way.” Minseok says with a smirk as they walk_

_“She’s going to kill me, isn’t she?” He asks_

_“Maybe? I guess it depends how you work your charms on her.”_

_“Should I go with the cute apology? Or the seductive manly apology?” He asks the other. Minseok gives him a once-over to check which would work better._

_“The latter.”_

_“The latter then.” He says with a wink._

_His soon to be brother-in-law gives him a look of disgust “Please never wink at me again.”_

_“Why? Someone said that my winks are to die for.” He says_

_“That someone needs to go to an ophthalmologist then. Oh—Good luck man.” Minseok says with a pat on his shoulder. He can see Sujin and his sister looking at them with smiles in their faces. His sister smiling the lovey-dovey smile to the man walking next to him and Sujin—smiling that killer smile of hers which—he gulps—he’s in for some mclovin. He tries to turn but his very helpful soon to be brother-in-law pushes him forward which only makes Sujin’s smile grew wider and scarier_

_“You’re late Lover boy.” Sujin greets him with a kiss on his cheeks and side hug_

_From a distance you would see a beautiful lady hugging a man as she murmurs something on him as she caresses the other’s face, but if you look closely—really closely you would see a beautiful scary woman—for him anyway—pinching his friend at his sides very very strongly while covering the other’s mouth from screaming out curses as she coos on him on how he should never make a beautiful woman wait for a corgi like him_

_“I missed you too Sujin” He breathes out as soon as he was freed from Sujin’s very welcoming greeting. He takes her hand and firmly clasps it with his to prevent her from torturing him again. The couple next to them just laughs and Sujin smirks—too proud of herself. She then gives him a once-over and hums. “What?” he asks worried that he’ll be pinched to death again._

_“You’re looking good Kwak.” Sujin says approvingly_

_“I always look good Sujin-ah.” He answers with a wink_

_Sujin rolls her eyes at him “Whatever. So, how are you my ex-fiance?” The other teasingly asks him_

_“Wonderful, and you my ex?” He asks teasingly too_

_“Magnificent as always.” Sujin says with her award-winning-heart-stealing-smile “I can’t believe that I’m gonna say this, but I’ve missed you Kwak.” Sujin says tenderly_

_“Same, it’s been a long time after all.” He says as he tousles her hair_

_“DUDE!!!” Sujin says as she slaps his hand away and fixes her hair “I had a hard time perfecting this ‘do and you almost ruined it!”_

_“You had a hard time perfecting what? This bed-hair look?” He says as he reaches for her hair again. Sujin sees him and kicks his shin “Ow—always so feisty my love” he says as he rubs the pain away_

_“You deserve it.” Sujin says smugly as she continues to fix her hair_

_“Tell me again on how they were once so in love like us?” Minseok asks her sister_

_“They were believe it or not—we threw up a lot of times just seeing them go lovey-dovey on each other.”_

_“Oh please—it was once sided.”_

_“It was definitely one-sided, Sujin’s so in love with me that she always—OW!!!” Sujin pinches him on his side again_

_“STO-PLEA-GOD-SUJIN” he can’t even form words coherently as the other pinches him harder with so much affection. He can hear his sister laughing at his own demise while his soon to be brother-in-law looks sober staring at something behind him. He sees Minseok’s expression change from confused to worry. He turns to take a look at whatever his soon-to-be-brother-in-law is staring at to see a guy probably younger at him calling after a guy who looks like…Ren? Can’t be right? Ren said he’s going to meet his family after all—so it can’t be him. He looks carefully again straining his neck to get a better view aside from the back of the guy that looks too similar with Ren but the guy’s already too far from them that he can’t see him clearly._

_“Is there something wrong?” He hears his sister ask Minseok_

_The other just shakes his head “N-nothing… I think we should get inside now…they’re probably waiting for us…” he answers but still looking worried over something. Sujin gives him a questioning look and he just shrugs as they start walking_

_He looks back again and the guy isn’t there anymore._

_I guess I just miss him… that even a complete stranger’s back looks like his now._

_He chuckles_

_“You’re acting weird, Kwak.” Sujin says eyeing him_

_“Am I?”_

_“Yeah… but—never mind.”_

~

_It’s during dinner that he realizes that what he saw wasn’t just his imagination and not because he misses Ren—definitely not—Especially when Seungcheol (Minseok’s cousin, he learns) brought a life-sized standee of Ren—his REN—and seated ~~it~~ him across of him—which made him spat the fried rice he’s currently chewing earning a disgusted grunt from Sujin—He hears his sister chuckle and their parents… let’s just say they’re as confused as hell on what’s happening_

_Minseok’s father then clears his throat and smiles at his wife before looking at them “Since my adorable, angel of a son, Minki cannot be here at this very important moment between our families, please excuse us, as we put it him here—I dont even know what to call that thing” he hears the last sentence being mumbled making the whole table chuckle—well, aside from him and Sujin—who’s oddly looking at Ren—Minki—ah whatever. He shakes his head as if that will help clear his mind on what the fuck is going on right now_

_“Just so that we—well, we’ll be complete. I hope you don’t mind?” Minseok and ~~Ren~~ Minki’s father tells them with a smile that he usually sees in ~~Ren~~ Minki—that makes his heart beat faster than it already does—okay get a grip Aron, this isn’t the time to spaz on Ren or Minki or Ren fuck. Ren is gonna be my brother-in-law?! What Should I—_

_“We don’t mind, it’s actually adorable and amusing—in a very good way, I mean.” His father says. He hears everyone laughing, because well, who wouldn’t laugh at this? Hell he doesn’t even know what the hell is this—especially when the beautiful man (cardboard) in front of him is smiling that beautiful smile that he lov—_

_“Now I know where Minseok got his charms from.” His father says in between chuckles “No wonder my daughter’s head over heels in love with him.”_

_“…Dad please” he hears his sister say_

_“We could say the same, Hannah is such a charm—”_

_He tunes out everyone and just looks at him_

_Ren-ah,_

_What are we going to do now?_

 

_~_

 

“Aron hyung? Is everything okay?? You look like you just got back from hell.” Hyunbin asks him worriedly

“I’m still there Hyunbin…”

“Eyy…don’t be like that hyung…anyway, come I’ll make something for you.” Hyunbin says as he ushers him to the bar

He sees a familiar back and he snorts. What’s the point of opening a club when they’re always here anyway? “Minhyun-ah.” He calls out as he sits next to him, startling the other.

Minhyun looks at him bewildered at first—probably because he looks so shabby right now. He doesn’t care, he doesn’t have any energy left to fix himself—he chuckles _fix himself_ like he could even do that. Minhyun stares at him like he went mental—which to be honest, where he’s probably going now—as he removes his earphones

“Hyung you look like _hell_.” Minhyun states

“Hyunbin already told me that.”

“You really look like you just got back from hell—like literally. What happened? Weren’t you with Ren?”

“I was…”

“And?” he shrugs because he doesn’t even know where to start or how to tell Minhyun what happened. Minhyun suddenly started sniffing him like how Noah does.

“The fuck Minhyun?” Minhyun sits back, and takes sip of his drink then looks at him seriously.

“You don’t smell sex. So what happened?”

“E-excuse me?”

“Smells like what hyung?” Hyunbin says giving his drink

“N-nothing Hyunbinnie, please don’t mind this crazy hyung of yours.” He says to the innocent boy. Minhyun rolls his eyes at him

“Okaaaaay. Just call me if you need something okay?”

“Yes, thanks Hyunbin.”

“No problemo! You’re my second favorite hyung anyway!” Hyunbin says beaming at him

“I’m the second? Who’s the first then?”

“It’s a secret!” Hyunbin says with a wink as he leaves them

“I’m guessing it’s not you?” He says to Minhyun

The other scoffs and shrugs as if it doesn’t bother him at all—when it probably does—since ‘everyone’ falls for his charms and shit. “Just be thankful that you got second—you can never compare to his favorite anyway.”

“You know who it is?”

“I have a hunch.”

“Dongho?”

“Dongho’s probably at the bottom of the list though.”

“You’re right—you’re neck in neck in that.”

“Whatever. So what happened hyung?” Minhyun asks him again seriously this time. He sighs and takes a sip of his drink.

“If I tell you that I don’t want to talk about it, would you stop asking?”

“No.”

“Fine. I already know that you wouldn’t stop asking anyway.”

“So?” he sighs and leans back. Well better start telling him the story now.

~

Minhyun sighs as he massages his head…It’s probably too much for him to take—after all…well fuck— _it’s a fucking mess_.

“Why the hell—fuck I don’t even know where to start.” Minhyun says

“That’s exactly how I was feeling a moment ago.”

“Why didn’t you just tell him from the start? I mean that would save you guys from this—well mess.”

“I… I chickened out.”

“Why?”

“I got scared… what if… What if he…”

 

_He’s sitting in his car_

_At the parking lot of Ren’s university_

_He already thought about what he should do and say a hundred times overnight and now that he’s here… he doesn’t know what he should do again._

_He should tell ~~Ren~~ Minki the truth right?_

_I mean… ~~Ren~~ Minki knows after all… since… he was there at the hotel yesterday…_

_But… he’s scared…_

_If ~~Ren~~ Minki (screw that, I’ll just call him Ren.)  Ren… knew who he is now… then why didn’t he… why… why did… Why did he leave?_

_He buries his head on the wheel and groans_

_I should do the right thing_

_The right thing…_

_The right thing…_

_What if doing right thing…_

_…would end up losing him?_

_Can’t I just pretend instead...?_

_That… No, do the right thing Aron… Do the right thing._

_Do the right thing like you always do._

_Do the right thing even if it means you’ll lose someone you love again._

_Do the fucking right thing even if it breaks you to pieces again._

_Do the fucking right thing even if it means you won’t see him ever again…_

_Do the fucking right thing…_

_Because that’s the fucking right thing to do._

_He hits his head on the wheel over and over again_

_DO THE RIGHT THING ARON_

_DON’T BE A FUCKING COWARD_

_DO THE FUCKING RIGHT THING_

_REN DOESN’T DESERVE TO BE LIED ON_

_REN DOESN’T DESERVE…_

_REN..._

_Images of Ren floods his mind_

_Ren smiling_

_Ren laughing_

_Ren smirking_

_Ren rolling his eyes at his jokes_

_Ren smiling tenderly as he looks at their intertwined hands_

_Ren biting his lip to stop himself from giggling when he tries to act cute_

_Ren hugging him like a koala when they went to that haunted house_

_Ren belting out those Lady Gaga songs_

_Ren dancing crazily and killing it as he dances to 90’s songs_

_Ren blushing when he kissed him on his cheeks_

_And Ren caressing his crying face…_

_Telling him that everything will be okay the first time they met._

 

_“Shit.” He can feel tears streaming down his face_

_He goes out of the car to get some fresh air_

_Minutes must have passed... he doesn’t know he could hardly notice anything as his mind and heart are busy fighting on what he should do_

_He didn’t even realize that Ren is already there until he calls him out with a sad “hey”_

_The man who made him smile_

_The reason to his happiness_

_The one who put the broken pieces together_

 

_”Hey” he says as he walks towards him_

_”Hey...” Ren says as they stood face to face_

_”...Hey” He says as he embraces him tightly_

 

_I can’t lose him..._

_I just can’t…_

_Not today..._

_Just not today..._

 

...and just like that ‘not today’ become days, weeks, months—until today happened...

“Well, what if he wouldn’t? Just because you think that he’ll leave you, doesn’t mean he will.”

“You don’t understand Minhyun-ah.”

“Enlighten me then.”

“Look… when you’re in that moment all that you would think of are… the negative ones—try as you might to be optimistic, you can’t… especially when… when you’ve already experienced that before…” Minhyun looks at him sadly and stays silent.

“Thank you for doing that to Sujin hyung… I know… it br—” he shakes his head stopping the other.

“I loved your sister Minhyun-ah, and I still do… just not like before… I never regretted making that decision, I know your sister and I’d rather see her achieving her dreams than waste her talents by staying with me… She doesn’t deserve that. So stop feeling guilty about it, please. It’s been years already—give it a rest.”

“I know...I just… fine, I won’t feel guilty about it anymore.” The other says with a sad smile “and this is why I don’t approve of that actor—he’s just so... you know... compared to you...and what you did for my sister...” Minhyun says not looking at him and he can’t help but be reminded of the young bubbly Minhyun that he used to baby-sit, well he still baby-sits until now

“He looks like you though?” He teases as he messes up his hair and just like how his sister would do, he swats his hand away

“Oh please—I look so much better than him.” the other retorts as he asks Hyunbin for another batch of their drinks

 

“So what’s your plan hyung?” Minhyun asks after downing their—he lost count after their 5th glass

“Make things right.” He says with a lousy smirk

“Good. Don’t be scared hyung… whatever happens… everything will be okay…”

 

_Yes…_

_Everything will be okay…_

_Just like how Ren once told him._

**_Epilogue_ **

_He’s sitting at the bar_

_Getting wasted at his usual spot as always._

_He’s just tired, tired from everything, tired of wearing his mask, tired of pretending someone he’s not, tired of being the perfect man that he should be, tired of the responsibilities, tired of being KHK Group’s Kwak Aron—like he said he’s just tired of everything._

_A lot has changed in a year… there were good changes and bad changes—well definitely bad in Dongho’s case… he sighs. He can’t help but feel guilty… it’s been a year and Dongho… he sighs again. He misses Dongho’s boisterous laughter… and… if only he could do anything about it…_

_Minhyun… well Minhyun’s still the same—still in love with his vacuum. He wonders what will happen when Minhyun finally finds someone—like a person—like a normal person should— that he’ll fall in love with? He’ll probably shower whoever it is with his clinginess and love and adoration (hopefully it won’t scare the other away—he prays for that.) well that’s still better than seeing Minhyun kissing and adoring his vacuum—like it’s the most precious thing in the world._

_And Sujin? He chuckles and shakes his head_

_Of all the people the girl has to date—she ends up dating an actor_

_He remembers getting a call from his almost-father-in-law complaining on Sujin’s new boyfriend and if he can at least put some sense in her stubborn brain because Sujin—like always won’t listen to his pleas and he just laughs and tells him that once Sujin set her mind on it—even him, the so-called best friend (even before they started dating and got engage) can’t do anything about it._

_“Now I’m really regretting allowing you guys to break it off.” His almost-father-in-law says_

_“Eyyy, Uncle don’t be like that. You know Sujin doesn’t deserve to be locked away.”_

_“I know, but still I’d rather have her locked away with you than be worried everyday if her face would come up on the news. The board wouldn’t like that…”_

_“Sujin’s a smart lady uncle, I’m sure she knows that, so don’t worry okay?”_

_“Okay… Thanks Aron… I’m still regretting allowing you guys—”_

_He shakes his head. It’s not that he regrets leaving Sujin—hell it’s the best decision that he made in his life. He has moved on and so does the other._

_So why is he here? Getting wasted? He doesn’t know._

_And that’s the problem. He doesn’t know. He just feels empty, broken—and just…well he doesn’t know… It’s like he’s a robot and once he’s done with what he should do—he feels so lifeless? Like he keeps on doing things but he doesn’t know why? Like there’s no point and he’s just on autopilot. Does it even make sense? Well it doesn’t—because whatever he’s feeling, whatever he’s thinking has no point anyway._

_He doesn’t have motivation._

_He doesn’t have a goal._

_He doesn’t need to have one anyway._

_Because unlike Sujin…_

_He’s chained._

_Locked away._

_The price he has to pay._

_A small amount of price compared to seeing Sujin being able to do what she loves. He smiles. Sujin deserves the world and he’s grateful enough to be able to give her that._

_After all, she deserves to spread her wings and prepare to fly for her to become a butterfly—wait what song is that?_

_“It’s butterfly by Mariah Carey.” The guy next to him says_

_“Uh—what?” He asks looking at the…_

_Wow—the guy… he never saw someone this beautiful before_

_Like… a fairy? Or an elf?  Images of Legolas from LOTR suddenly plays on his mind but even Legolas who still somehow looks good even during battles cannot be compared to this guy who looks so ethereal sitting next to him_

_“Butterfly by Mariah Carey—the Song?” Ethereal guy says “Oh! What perfect timing! It’s playing right now!” Ethereal guy gushes as he closes his eyes and hums to the song. He does the same letting the song engulf him._

_He can feel tears streaming on his cheeks_

_He opens his eyes to see Ethereal guy smiling sadly at him—but not that sad that would make him feel small... but... sad with affection? Is that even possible? When he’s just a random guy that this Ethereal guy just met a few minutes ago?_

_“Hey… I don’t know what’s going on… but whatever it is, everything will be okay…okay?” Ethereal guy says as he wipes his tears away_

_♪♪ If you should return to me, we truly were meant to be;_

_So spread your wings and fly, Butterfly_ ♪ _♪_

 


	13. To the Man that let Him go.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They say that when one thing ends, another begins.  
> That sometimes, an ending hurts, but a new beginning is worth the pain.
> 
> but would it be the same in this case?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first part is on the same timeline as chapter 9 and this will be 'his side' and will be an explanation on why it happened, because there's always two sides in every story, as they say XD
> 
> and the very short second part is where we left off from the last chapter. <33333
> 
> this has been in my drafts for a month XD  
> and I finally found the courage to finish and post it.
> 
> warning: the first part is really angsty, and it might be triggering for some because it's a POV of someone who gave up on life and thinks there's no hope for him anymore.
> 
> And to everyone who’s reading this, thank you really and I hope you enjoy it (?) XD
> 
> and lastly,  
> to my dear Greek Seal with a heart,  
> i'm sorry and I love you.

**_Greek Seal with a heart._ **

 

“ ** _See you._** ”

That’s what Jonghyun told him a minute ago.

 

_See you. See you. See you. See you. See you._

He’s gonna see him again.

He’s gonna talk to him again.

After so long, he’s finally gonna see him and talk to him again.

 

_See you. See you. See you. See you. See you._

Yet he can’t find solace in those words.

Can’t find any semblance of happiness and warmth unlike before, and all that he can feel is heartache, regrets, and a bunch of lies underneath it.

 

All thanks to him.

All thanks to his decisions.

 

Because he had to.

Because he needs to protect him.

Because it’s better to hurt him than ask him to stay by his side.

Because he deserves someone better.

 

Jonghyun deserves someone better.

 

Someone who would be next to him all his life.

Someone who would take care of him

Not someone who would be a burden, a hindrance.

Someone who would _stay._

Someone that is _not him._

 

“Coffee? Tea? Juice?” Minki asks him looking so sleep-deprived.

“Anything’s fine Minki.” Seongwu says with a shrug, standing up and looking around.

“Juice then.” Minki tells him tiredly, going to the kitchen.

“Thanks.” He says as he looks around, taking in Jonghyun and Minki’s place.

A home that he is no longer a part of… _a home that he’ll never be a part of._

“Here.” Minki passes him a glass of orange juice. He thanks the other again _,_ taking a sip as he admires the table full of pictures and memories of his friends.

The one at the far end is a picture of Minki and his family on a _yacht_ , all beaming at the camera.

Right next to it is a picture of Minki, Jonghyun and Cheol and another with the trio with someone he assumes to be Jeonghan, again—all of them smiling.

_Full of warmth, happiness, and memories._

Just like the picture next to it.

 

He smiles, holding up their graduation picture close.

It’s one of his favorite days with Jonghyun and of course, the Choi demons. He chuckles, remembering that day.

It was chaotic just like any other day, someone would say something and someone would egg on it, teasing the other—starting their usual bickering. Then someone would start being dramatic, on how they’re all growing up too fast, and that if they’re ready for adulthood—which at that time excited yet scared them.

But nevertheless, just like before, just like the days that he was with them, it was a day full of happiness, of warmth, and of _love_.

Something that Seongwu never had in his life until he met Jonghyun.

 

 ~

_“I love you Jonghyun.” He tells him sincerely. Lovingly. With all his heart. With everything in him._

_Jonghyun looks at him smiling, understanding everything that he wants to say with those words. How thankful Seongwu is for him, for teaching him happiness, love, and a place to call home._

_“I love you too Seongwu.”_

 ~ 

 

“Why were you there last night Ong? It’s...” Minki asks him, sitting on the sofa. Seongwu puts back the picture frame at the table and looks at the other.

“Too much of a coincidence?” He asks, a smile on his face. Minki rolls his eyes at him and sighs.

“Yeah… you don’t even drink and I’m sure as hell—” he interrupts Minki, tired of the hearing the same words from the other.

“A friend invited me.” He states, looking back at the picture frames.

“And who’s that friend? You don’t have friends Seongwu.” Minki says as if he knows everything about him—which to be honest he does, more than Jonghyun.

“I do Minki. I do have friends other than you.”  He sighs, brushing the dust on a picture of Jonghyun and his family.

The one he was used to be a part of.

 

  ~

_“Seongwu…” Jonghyun’s father pleads him and he shakes his head. He already made up his mind._

_“Uncle… I can’t.” He tells him, his hands gripping on the hospital blankets as if that would take all the pain away, as if that would save him._

_“He needs to know son… you can’t just keep this all to yourself. Jonghyun deserves to know and—”_

_“It will hurt him—it might even destroy him and I can’t do that to him. I can’t Uncle...” he says losing it, letting the tears fall as Jonghyun’s father hugs him._

  ~

 

And will no longer be a part of.

 

“It’s not too late to tell him Ong… Jong-Jonghyun… he’ll understand, he’ll forgive you.” Minki tells him and he shakes his head.

Remembering what he did that day.

Remembering how much he hurt Jonghyun.

  ~

_Why are you here Seongwu?_

_Why are you here in front of Jonghyun’s classroom, waiting for him… waiting for him as if…_

_…as if there’s still a chance?_

 

_Why are you here when you should have use that chance that Jonghyun gave you._

_Why are you still here—_ **_“Then this is it for us.”_ **

_His breath hitches remembering the pain and betrayal underneath Jonghyun’s voice._

 

_All because of him._

_Because of him._

_He hurt him._

 

_Can he still go back and tell him he’s sorry, that it’s because he’s—no. No. he can’t._

_He can’t do that Jonghyun._

_He’d rather die._

_He laughs at that, because how ironic._

 

_“—is this how you got Seongwu wrapped around your fingers, Jonghyunnie?” He hears someone say and looks around._

_He sees Jonghyun fuming and about to punch someone but stops when he sees him._

_“Jonghyun.” He mumbles._

_He hears the other student say his name and Jonghyun’s expression hardens, making him walk towards Jonghyun without even realizing it._

_Until he hears a thud, making him stop in place._

_Just watching Jonghyun._

 

_You can’t go to him Seongwu._

_You’ll only hurt him more._

_You promised not to hurt him anymore._

_The smart part of himself tells him._

 

_Then why am I here? Why the fuck did I go here?!he asks himself._

_Because you love him. Because you love him. And because of that you’ll stay away from him._

_Because that’s better than staying then leaving him again…_

_forever._

 

_He glances up, his fist clenching, torturing himself as he watches Jonghyun smiling and walking towards him._

_Telling him that he’s okay._

_That everything will be okay._

_But it’s not Jonghyun._

 

_It won’t be okay._

_Because that’s not possible for us,_

_Because of me._

_Because of the fucking me._

 

_He stays rooted in place looking at Jonghyun._

_Watching as myriad of emotions passing by him..._

_Realization. Denial. Fear._

_Yet he still doesn’t move._

_Jonghyun pleading him to go where he is._

_But he doesn’t move, he doesn’t give in no matter how much it hurts to see Jonghyun in pain, no matter how much he wants to badly run to him and tell him that it’s okay that he’s here._

 

_Because he can’t do that._

_Because It’s better to hurt Jonghyun now._

_Better to hurt Jonghyun now than later._

 

_He sees Minki and Cheol walking towards them. Minki looking at him worriedly and he nods to the other, telling him that he’ll be okay, telling him to just take care of Jonghyun and never worry about him._

_“Let’s go Jonghyun…” He hears Minki say, pulling Jonghyun’s hand._

_Jonghyun remains unmoving—still looking at him giving him a chance._

 

_A chance._

_A chance that he wishes so badly he can take._

_A chance._

_Just one chance._

_Another chance._

_A chance to be with him._

 

_Laughter. Bickering. Jonghyun’s countless teasing. Them snuggling in the sofa. Movie nights. Their spot in Starbucks. Rain. Knowing smiles. Stolen kisses._

_Jonghyun’s bright and angelic smile._

 

_He looks away and sees Cheol, furious at him and he smiles at his friend tiredly._

_“Enough Jonghyun.” He hears Cheol’s cold voice and he turns away._

_Because his Jonghyun deserves someone better._

_And that someone is not him._

  ~

 

“Seongwu.” Minki says, calling him back to reality.

“I’ll get going Minki, I have to finish the lyrics before your demon son kills me.” He tells his friend teasingly, taking his coat and bag on the table.

“ _Seongwu._ ” Minki says, standing up in front of him. He smiles at the other and gives him a hug.

“Thank you Minki. Make sure to find him a guy that’s deserving and will treat him right, okay? I don’t like that prick that he was with last night.”

“You still have a chance to make things _right._ ” Minki tells him, as if that would change anything.

“It’s too late Minki. It’s _too late_.”

 

 

* * *

  

**_A Guy that was once obsessed with a vacuum._ **

 

Minhyun types in, then deletes, then types in again.

Then deletes again.

He sighs, looking out the window, as Aron leans on him, completely drunk and still crying even in his sleep.

“He’ll be okay… right?” Minhyun asks Dongho. The other nods, smiling sadly at their hyung.

“He will. Aron hyung’s strong, he’ll be okay.” Dongho says, wiping the tears of their hyung.

Minhyun types in again, and this time he sends it.

 

 **Angel <3** 

**Hi, I know this is well… out of  line...**

**But I heard what happened,**

**I hope Ren/Minki-ssi is doing okay…**

 

“We’re here sir.” Sungsoo tells them. Minhyun watches Aron’s driver go out of the driver seat and walk towards them, opening the door. Minhyun puts his phone in his pocket and steps out.

“Are you just going to stand there and not help?!” Dongho asks annoyed, trying his best to carry their drunk hyung.

“Then what are those muscles for Dongho? Just for show?” Minhyun says snapping, pressing on the button of the elevator.

“They’re—can’t you just fucking help me?!” Dongho tells him losing his patience.

“Then ask nicely.” Minhyun answers beckoning the two to go in the lift first.

“Please.” Dongho says gritting his teeth. Minhyun smiles and puts Aron’s around his shoulder.

“Asshole.” Minhyun hears Dongho mumble, but he couldn’t care less.

Especially when he’s busy reading _his Jonghyun_ ’s message.

 

**My Jonghyunnie <33333**

**He’s doing okay, and Aron?**

**Also, this isn’t you finding an excuse**

**so that you can text me, right? (¬‿¬)**

 


End file.
